New year, new show

Sweet & sour

Say no to oak - help put the fruit back in wine.' This sign, posted up behind the tasting bar at Trimbach, is a neat summation of the charms of Alsace. Wines with great poise, a good structure of acidity and, of course, some of the best food wines you'll ever taste. Why, then, does it appear to be an underappreciated wine region, one that never grabs the headlines?

The Interview: Gianpiero Colucci, Manager, Spaghetti House, Marble Arch branch

The Marble Arch branch is the most recent Spaghetti House restaurant to open (in mid-2005) and the first trialling a more modern look. Spaghetti House has nine venues in London, the first of which opened in 1955.
A native of Bari in Puglia, Gianpiero Colucci worked at Pescatori in London and at the Cranbourn Street branch of Spaghetti House before becoming one of the chain's youngest restaurant managers. This branch was a finalist in the Best Italian Restaurant category of The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Industry Awards 2006 (www.papa.org.uk).
Suppliers include Berkmann, Vinum
and Alivini.

My sweet love

The most baffling thing about Sauternes is how its producers survive. It's not just the unpredictability of Botrytis cinerea; in 2004 the yield at Chteau Climens was less than four hectolitres per hectare (4hl/ha). At Chteau Suduiraut in the same year they left three-quarters of the grapes behind. The opening price of the wine, what there was of it, was 32 at Climens, 22-26 at Suduiraut. Both prices were less than the cost of production.

The Interview - Angela Hayward and Paul Raymonde, directors, AP Vino

Angela Hayward and Paul Raymonde met in 2002, and discovered that they shared a passion for Italian wines. The couple launched AP Vino in 2004 with input from Angela's stepfather, Fausto Pesci, who worked for many years as a restaurateur, Italian wine consultant, and major importer of Italian wine into Spain and Germany. Last month, AP Vino launched a consumer website, D'Vino, which is also home to The Wine Club of Italy, a scheme that offers mixed cases of wines complete with full tasting notes. AP Vino's portfolio lists 58 wines from 12 producers. Exclusive agencies include La Scolca in Gavi (selected wines), Il Carpino in Friuli, Tenuta di Riseccoli in Greve, and Pinino in Montalcino. A former property developer in Italy, Raymonde is also a well-known cartoonist, whose works have appeared in Punch and Private Eye, among other publications.

Chile 2010

Talking to dozens of winemakers on a recent trip to New Zealand, a common topic of discussion was Sauvignon Blanc and what a double-edged sword it has become for the Kiwi industry. Sure, being known as the place that does brilliant Sauvignon' is a coup that gives a small wine country enormous global visibility, but it is also a potential glass ceiling that could stifle other aspects of the New Zealand industry.

New Zealand Winegrowers elect new chairman

Stuart Smith, a grape grower and winery owner in Marlborough, has been elected chairman of New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW), the national trade body. Smith will represent the industry in dealings with government and media for a one-year term. The position complements his role as chair of the national grape growers council.

Stratford's goes cool

Paul Stratford, managing director of Stratford's Wine Agencies, has decided to focus the attention of the business on searching for new wines from cooler climates.

Wonderful world of Oz (Clarke)

Oz Clarke is one of the best-known names in the wine trade.

Co-op lists first Fairtrade wines from Argentina

The Co-op has just added four own-label Fairtrade wines from Argentina to its list, the first UK retailer to do so.

Argentina hosts major wine event

Mendoza, Argentina, will be the host of the Annual General Membership meeting of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network for the first time in November this year.

Speculation that Fortune could be subject of break up bid

By Ron Emler
The trend for international companies to focus on single sectors is focusing attention on the American conglomerate Fortune Brands. Following its participation in the takeover and break-up of Allied Domecq with Pernod Ricard last year, analysts are suggesting it could suffer the same fate.

New on-trade sales boss at Enotria

Enotria Winecellars has appointed Simon Treanor as its new on-trade sales director.

Argento relaunches key varietals at higher price

The Argento Wine Company is relaunching its key Argento brand at a higher price point, starting with its two main varietal wines - Chardonnay and Malbec.

Santa Rita gets planting

Via Santa Rita is about to embark on one of the largest planting projects in the recent history of the Chilean wine history, with an estimated 1,700 hectares (ha) of premium vineyard to be planted by the end of the decade.

Rioja to allow new whites

By Christian Davis
The Rioja Regulatory Council (Consejo Regulador DOCa) is set to allow new white grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo to be grown in Rioja and used in the region's DO white wines.

Montes invests in Napa

Chilean winery Via Montes is investing in a new venture in California's most famous wine region, the Napa Valley.

Waitrose backs New World

Waitrose is giving the New World a boost with a New World Wine Showcase to be held in all branches from 4 to 24 September.

The Interview - Kevin Howell, Thresher franchisee, Thresher shop, Hythe, Kent

Kevin Howell has been in the licensed trade just about all his 44 years. His parents ran the White Hart, one of major pubs in Hythe High Street in Kent. After studying at Portsmouth College, he went to work in a Peter Dominic off-licence in nearby Bearsted in Kent. He then moved to the Thresher shop in Hythe, 17 years ago. Kevin is the second person to switch from manager to fracnhisee under the new Thresher franchisee scheme. He is also vice-chairman of the local chamber of commerce.

Bolla to be bought by GIV?

by Nicolas Belfrage MW and Franco Ziliani
One of the biggest names in traditional Italian viniculture, Bolla, may be on its way into the portfolio of the giant Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV).