"A product that has been banned, condemned in its own original country, cannot succeed in the long term as an export. Can’t it be understood that talking about wine is not encouraging people to abuse alcohol? Surely, those who condemn it can try to understand and give us a chance to prove our point?”

Jean-Marie Chadronnier, former MD of wine merchants CVBG and Bordeaux winegrower. (Source: Le Point)

In 2008, exports of Uruguayan wines, whose production is currently being developed, should break an all-time record at 13 to 14 million litres. The main importer of this small producer is Russia. (Source VSB)

According to a statement from the main Italian wine producers union, Italy will harvest an estimated 48m hectolitres of wine, while French estimates are in the region of 43-44m hectolitres. It is about 4m hectolitres more wine than France. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

The value of French wine exports in the first half of 2008 increased by 8.2% to reach €3.2 billion. However the volumes exported decreased significantly by 8.7% compared to last year. The main categories to be forsaken by foreign drinkers were table wines and vins de pays. AOC wines, meanwhile, pushed the overall market upwards with exports increasing in value by 18%, despite a slight fall in volume of 1%. (Le Figaro)

A major step forward in efforts to protect Scotch Whisky in on of its most important markets has been welcomed by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). Following an SWA application, the Chinese Trade Mark Office under Administration of Industry & Commerce (AIC) has agreed to protect “Scotch Whisky” as a Geographical Indication (GI) by registering it as a “collective trade mark”. (Source: The Scotch Whisky Association)

Following a survey carried out by the European Confederation of  Independent Winegrowers (CEVI) amongst its members concerning problems met in the supply of glass bottles, responses received from France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Slovenia are alarming.

90.1% of the winegrowers who were questioned, had to pay higher prices for bottles, 63.6% met with problems of late delivery and 55% faced breakdowns in supply.

CEVI forwarded its findings to the European Commission’s General Directorate for Competition. (Source: European Confederation of  Independent Winegrowers)

In order to meet a growing demand for rosé, Provencal winegrowers have had to reduce their production of white and red wines. Thus today, rosé accounts for 87% of the Côtes-de-Provence and Coteaux Varois AOCs, and 73% of Coteaux d’Aix. Well ahead of the Val de Loire with 20% of French production, Provence is the country’s leader on the AOC rosé market. (Source: Var Matin)