Les Grand Chais de France backs independents by signing up to Best Practice Guidelines

French wine producer, Les Grand Chais de France, is the biggest wine name to show its commitment to the independent merchant sector by signing up to the Harpers Best Practice Guidelines that oversee how producers and suppliers are working in the independent sector.

French wine prices skyrocket following second small harvest

Two years of small harvests are taking their toll on French wine prices, with appellation wines up 18% on average on 2012.

Q&A with Origin Wine founder Bernard Fontannaz, who talks quality control and looking outside South Africa

Bernard Fontannaz, founder of Origin Wine on quality control, expanding its portfolio to include Old World wines and Fairtrade.

Alliance Wine aims to create 'iconic' rosé brand

Alliance Wine has high hopes that its new French rosé wine La Vie en Rose will become an iconic brand.

?Liv-ex Fine Wine indices continue to decline

The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 index continued its slide reporting that February closed down for the eleventh consecutive month, closing at 252.50, down 0.9%, while the Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 fell another 1.2% to 287.10.

Average 2013 harvest "very necessary", says head of Bordeaux body

Q&A: Isabelle Kanaan and Sébastien du Boullay, Sud de France

The pair from Sud de France talk to Richard Siddle about how it hopes to use its Top 100 programme to highlight the very best wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon

Big interview: Vinexpo's new ceo,Guillaume Deglise, and his plans to modernise the show

Guillaume Deglise has big shoes to fill in replacing Robert Beynat as chief executive of Vinexpo. Here he tells Richard Siddle how he intends to create a very different type of show - based largely on the customer and branding lessons learnt from his career in Champagne

Sud de France to invest more funds to drive distribution in independents and the on-trade

The Sud de France promotional body in the UK hopes to capitalise on the good 2013 vintage in the region to help build up distribution in independents and the on-trade during the rest of 2014.

New Vinexpo chief open to idea of starting new shows around the world

Guillaume Deglise, the new chief executive of Vinexpo, said he remains open to running events in new markets around the world but only in the context of the bi-annual Bordeaux show remaining "the number-one priority".

France's LGI Wines promotes winemaker Xavier Roger to MD

Southern French specialists LGI Wines' chief winemaker Xavier Roger has stepped up to the role of managing director in the wake of founder Alain Grignon's retirement.

Ruinart: 2013 was good year in Champagne

Ruinart's cellar master says despite bad news elsewhere in France, 2013 was a good year in Champagne, and the house will make a 2013 vintage.

Mike Paul: is the new EU planting wine regime a missed opportunity or pragmatic compromise?

Given the space devoted recently to predictions relating to the future of the wine business I've been surprised at the lack of attention focused on the new EU vine planting regime which is due to come into effect at the end of 2015. From that date each member state with over 50,000 hectares under vine will be able to add 1% per year to its vineyard area.

UK buyers help pick ambassador wines to promote Vin de France

Up to nearly 90 wines thought to represent the very best of what Vin de France can offer have been picked by a trade panel to help promote Vin de France in key export markets like the UK.

Gerard Basset leads line up for Discover the Origin masterclasses around the UK

The UK on-trade is for the last time going to have the chance to literally Discover the Origin of some of the most iconic drink and food products produced in the European Union with a series of masterclasses featuring some of the trade's most well known figures including Gerard Basset MW, MS.

Douglas Blyde hears history, gains insight and tastes wines at Fells first summit

Combine one part history lesson with another part insight into the runnings of five family businesses, with a final part of tutored wine tastings, and the first Fells wine forum would result.

New Cru level for Les Dauphins wine brand

Rhône producer Cellier des Dauphins is launching a new premium red wine under its Les Dauphins brand.

Bibendum to distribute Provence's Château Léoube

Bibendum is to distribute Provence vineyard Château Léoube, the sister estate of the Daylesford organic farm business in the UK.  

Vinisud attracts buyers from around the world to highlight its Mediterranean wine and spirits

Over 1,600 exhibitors from across the Mediterranean's world of wine and spirits are set to descend on Montpellier in Southern France next week for this year's Vinisud trade show which hopes to attract buyers from all over the world.

Fine wine prices fall in January for first time in 12 years

For the the first time in 12 years the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 index fell by 0.9% in January, a traditionally strong month.