French government dismisses St-Emilion reclassification proposal

The French government council has thrown out a move to reinstate eight declassified St-Emilion chateaux.

Sebastiani sold to Foley Wine Group

Californian wine company Sebastiani Vineyards is set to be sold to US wine group Foley for an undisclosed sum, it was announced yesterday.

German scientist logs Champagne cork speed

A German scientist has managed to register the speed of a Champagne cork as it leaves the bottle.

Decanter panel praises 2006 northern Rhone vintage

A top Decanter tasting panel has praised a ‘fantastic’ 2006 vintage in the northern Rhone.

French press slam 2008 vintage

France’s two main newspapers have slammed the 2008 vintage, saying poor weather has jeopardised the quality of the harvest across the country.

Wine prices: Bordeaux '08 must come down say UK wine merchants

As another difficult Bordeaux harvest nears its close, wine merchants in the UK are already calling for chateaux to reduce their prices after next year’s barrel tastings.

France allows regions to do away with traditional ‘ban des vendanges’

The Graves region of Bordeaux and Bourgeuil in the Loire have become some of the first appellations to do away with the traditional harvest start date, or ‘ban des vendanges’.

Chateau Carbonnieux owner dies

Anthony Perrin, the owner Bordeaux chateau Carbonnieux, has died of lung cancer aged 68.

Didier Dagueneau dies

Didier Dagueneau, one of the greatest Sauvignon Blanc producers in the world, has died in a flying accident at the age of 52.

French harvest down on 2007

The 2008 harvest in France will be smaller than in 2007, due to poor weather conditions and an ongoing uprooting programme.

Hilary Swank buys film rights to French Paradox book

Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has bought the film rights to best-selling lifestyle book French Women Don’t Get Fat.

Criminals turn wine into weed

Vineyards in Washington are being bought and converted to marijuana farms by organised crime outfits, US state officials say.

Writer says Champagne every morning is secret to long life

UK crime writer John Mortimer says a glass of Champagne every morning is the secret to a long life.

Electronic tongue set to beat human wine tasters

Scientists are currently developing an electronic tongue that is set to be more reliable and sophisticated than the human palate.

Winemaker injured by home-made explosive

A southern French winemaker has been injured and is currently under investigation after explosives he was making blew up in his winery.

French appellation seeks name change

An appellation in the south of France is looking to change its name in order to avoid being associated with a uranium leak at a nuclear power station in the same region.

Cos d’Estournel buys Chateau Montelena

Michel Reybier, the owner of Bordeaux second growth chateau Cos d’Estournel, has purchased iconic Napa estate Chateau Montelena for an undisclosed sum, it was announced today.

Top Champagne prices ‘going through the roof’

Prices of prestige cuvees from top Champagne houses are continuing to rise at an unstoppable rate, despite the current economic downturn.

Mother of dead vineyard worker files lawsuit against grape company

The mother of the 17-year-old girl who died of heat exhaustion while pruning grapes in California has filed a lawsuit against the company that owns the vineyards.

CRAV resurfaces with arson attacks

The militant winemaker group CRAV has resurfaced with arson attacks on roadside speed cameras and telephone network hubs in the south of France.

Anti-chemical legislation threatens productivity says Bordeaux proprietor

Sauternes chateau boss Philippe Baly has launched an attack on official regulations that ban the use of potentially toxic products from vineyards.

Hill-Smith awarded Order of Australia

Michael Hill-Smith MW, Decanter World Wine Awards regional chair for Australia, has been named Member of the Order of Australia.

Christopher Hitchens launches vitriolic attack on sommeliers

Author and journalist Christopher Hitchens has launched a scathing attack on restaurants and sommeliers, calling them ‘barbaric’, ‘rude’ and ‘boors’.

France: Microsoft pulls wine adverts

Online advertising provider Microsoft AdCenter is removing all wine merchants from its client list in France, saying French legislation does not permit wine advertising online.

Withnail director drank 200 bottles of fine wine in two weeks

The director of cult comedy film Withnail & I drank 200 bottles of blue chip Bordeaux in just two weeks, he has revealed.

China to become leading wine producer?

Chinese wine will conquer the world in terms of volume and fine wine, a recent study suggests.

Blumenthal lauded for chocolate wine

Michelin-starred techno-chef Heston Blumenthal OBE has won a Conde Nast Traveller Innovation Design Award for his chocolate wine.

Parker: Bordeaux 2007 ‘disappointing’

The majority of Bordeaux 2007 wines are disappointing, says American wine guru Robert Parker.

Arab wine production set to increase

The production of wine in Arab countries around the Mediterranean is on the increase, with Syria set to begin production within two years.

New wine series on Channel 4

UK wine writer Monty Waldin is to feature in a new television series on Channel 4, charting his attempt to produce biodynamic wine in France,decanter.com has learned.