- Home
- Analysis & Insights
Good value’ is a tag that follows the wines of Languedoc and Roussillon around. While it’s undoubtedly not the worst thing that consumers can associate with a region, it can serve to dampen the ambitions of makers of more premium wines. As Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, winemaker in Roussillon and regional chair for Languedoc-Roussillon at the Decanter World Wine Awards, puts it: “Good value can be a trap. Chile struggled with that. People see it as good value and therefore don’t see their premium wines as something worth spending money on.”
Read more...
|
The Plaimont cooperative is not only an advocate of adapting to climate change, but also the custodian of heritage grape varieties. James Lawrence reports on its work to safeguard the future of wine.
Read more...
David Kermode charts a bumpy ride for France’s favourite fizz.
Read more...
Andrew Catchpole samples the trade’s take on France and its ever-enticing offer.
Read more...
Greece is fast morphing from interesting addition to must list. Andrew Catchpole charts its progress in the UK.
Read more...
Jo Gilbert caught up with leading suppliers to find out how the non-Champagne sparkling parts of their portfolios work in their respective categories.
Read more...
Felipe Schrieberg talks to Jo Gilbert about a potential upcoming crash in cask whisky investment.
Read more...
James Bayley assesses the duality of the effects of alcohol consumption.
Read more...
Own-label and discovery ranges are in the spotlight as supermarkets refresh their wines for the season. By James Bayley.
Read more...
A recent old vine field trip to Jumilla sparked a conversation around the importance of preserving both local expertise and community input alongside heritage vineyards, and what it means for broader concepts of sustainability and terroir. Jo Gilbert reports
Read more...
With times tough and outlets shrinking, Chris Losh invites trade comment on the relevance of wine writers.
Read more...
WSTA chief urges government action for £35bn UK wine sector. James Bayley reports.
Read more...
Clinton Cawood looks to the sustainably minded on-trade, where bars and restaurants are being ever more mindful in building their drinks offers.
Read more...
In the second of our spring indie surveys, Andrew Catchpole invited feedback on service and the foibles of the punter.
Read more...
With the number of schemes related to sustainable production many and varied, are we confusing consumers? James Lawrence reports.
Read more...
With organic accreditation widely understood, Andrew Catchpole invited a panel to debate whether this could be a useful ‘in’ when set against the confusing profusion of differing sustainability certifications.
Read more...
With waste there’s a clue in the word, clearly flagging up the unwanted by-product or packaging that sits alongside almost any business activity. Winemaking is no different, and it’s possible (broadly speaking) to break the main sources down into three areas. There’s waste from the winemaking process itself, then oenological supplies and, finally, all of the associated packaging aligned to the bottling line. Cutting down on waste is one thing, but aiming for zero waste is a tougher nut to crack.
Read more...
Jo Gilbert canvassed the signatories of the Harpers Sustainability Charter to find out how far they have travelled on their renewable energy and waste management journey.
Read more...
With rumblings of oversupply in the market and the UK’s biggest-ever crush in 2023, Jo Gilbert asks, could the bubble be about to burst for English wine?
Read more...
Justin Keay takes a pan-regional look at Spain’s white wines as more young winemakers look to experiment and revive older varieties.
Read more...
