Global wine production is showing signs of increasing homogeneity as international varieties expand their share of the world’s vineyards.

Spanish vintner Freixenet's centennial finds the maker of cava, a sparkling wine that comes in both white and rose varieties, poised to expand to new markets, including the Arab world, CEO Pedro Ferrer said.

Nov 17 (Reuters) - British wine warehouse chain Majestic Wine Plc posted a 10.5 percent fall in first-half profit, hurt by higher investment costs and weaker demand for the Bordeaux 2013 vintage.

The United States became the world's biggest market for wine last year, beating France into second place for the first time as consumption slides in the country long seen as its natural home and Americans develop a greater taste for it.

Meno aiuti e non per tutti. Sono questi, in estrema sintesi, i cardini della nuova Politica agricola comune 2014-2020: il primo imposto dai tagli al bilancio Ue, il secondo frutto delle scelte nazionali che il Consiglio dei ministri ha ratificato giovedì – dopo un lungo negoziato tra ministero, regioni e associazioni agricole – con l'approvazione del decreto attuativo dell'ultima riforma comunitaria.
Alessio Romeo, Il Sole 24 Ore.

Bibendum Wine Limited has merged with drinks importer the PLB Group to create The Bibendum PLB Group.

France regained its seat as the world's top wine producer in 2014, trumping main competitor Italy where producers had suffered a poor harvest, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) announced on Thursday. France, which was overtaken in production by Italy two years ago, produced 46.2 million hectolitres of wine this year, a rise of 10 percent on last year, the OIV said.

The creation of the Vin de France category has driven “important growth” in French wine exports as well as acceptance among younger consumers, Harpers France Summit heard.

France is in “pole position” in the online wine market – which represents the country’s biggest opportunity going forward. That’s according to Tim Wilson, managing director of the Wilson Drinks Report, speaking to delegates at Harpers’ France Summit today.

Officially approved by the European Commission in February 2014 after a three year process, the Gran Selezione label can be applied to estate grown, Sangiovese-dominated wines from the 2010 vintage onwards which meet upgraded criteria concerning minimum alcohol, extraction and at least 30 months maturation.

Pricing is becoming a greater challenge in the US market, according to Raboabnk’s Wine Quarterly Q4 report. Alongside improving sales volumes, the average price of wines sold in the US is rising, with the high-end of the market gaining share at the expense of lower priced wines.

Based on recent ViniPortugal data, Wines of Portugal have announced another strong semester of export growth in the U.S. market, with a 19.1 percent increase in the first half of 2014 (January-June) compared to the same period in 2013. Sales of Portuguese table wines (excluding port wine) improved to €15.47 million ($19.5 million at 10/1/14), up from €12.99 million ($16.29 million at 9/31/13) during the first half of the year prior, a clear reflection of the growing consumer interest in Portugal’s unique varieties and masterful blends.

Winemaker Chapel Down has raised £4million from 1,400 private investors through a crowdfunding campaign, the largest fund raising of its kind so far in the UK.

Treasury Wine Estates has rejected two private equity bids valuing the Australian wine maker at A$3.4bn (US$2.9bn), including debt, and said it would instead focus on plans to grow as a standalone company.

On Wednesday 24 September, the Laurent-Perrier Supervisory Board chaired by Maurice de Kervenoael agreed to appoint Stéphane Dalyac Chairman of Laurent-Perrier's Management Board. He takes over from Michel Boulaire, who has held the position since May 2010.

Dopo quattro trimestri consecutivi caratterizzati dalla crescita della produzione industriale e dal miglioramento di quesi tutti gli indicatori, sul Piemonte si abbatte una doccia gelata relativa all'ultimo trimestre del 2014. I dati forniti da UnionCamere e Confindustria Piemonte vanno, infatti, in direzione opposta.
di Augusto Grandi, Il Sole 24 Ore.

Prosecco’s explosive UK growth has not come at the expense of Champagne, which held its volume and saw value sales increase by 2.2%, according to the Lanson Champagne Category Report 2014.

THE South African wine industry loses about 100 small farmers and 1,000ha of vineyards each year, though better yields have helped it achieve record export and production, an industry body says.