The “President’s barrel” of the 148^th charity sale of wines at the Beaune Hospices, organised by Christie’s in November, fetched €50,000. Bids for the cask, which began at €3,000, were lower than those offered in 2007, when the final bid reached €65,000 and very far off the record bid made in 2006 of €200,000. Only 544 228-litre barrels of Beaune Hospices wine were auctioned on Sunday, compared to 607 in 2007 and 680 in 2006. The 148^th  Beaune Hospices auction raised a total of €2.8 million, 26% down compared to 2007. (Source: AFP)

According to The IWSR, negotiations are taking place between Diageo and United Spirits (UB Group), the leading liquor producer in India, who is also a distributor. Any partnership could only take place if Diageo gives up its joint venture with Radico Khaitan, the second largest Indian purveyor of spirits. (Source: Décision Boissons)

Concha y Toro, the leading Chilean and South American producer has increased its capital by €35.6 million in order to fund new projects. Its export sales turnover increased by 12.3% over the first nine months of the year to reach €230 million. The bodega employs nearly 2,500 people. (Source: VSB)

The Bulgarian government is planning to introduce strict measures to fight excessive alcohol consumption. The most serious measures include increase of the excise tax, compulsory labelling requirements and roll out of an educational campaigns. (Source: Wine Business International.com)

The financial storm sweeping across the globe has raised the importance of Hong Kong and the mainland in the eyes of French wineries, as they make more of an effort to explore new markets. Boris de Vroomen, co-chairman of the Hong Kong Wine and Spirits Industry Coalition, said that although the market growth rate this year would not be as impressive as last year, business was holding up quite well in the face of the economic crisis. (Source: South China Morning Post)

The 2008 harvest in the Sauternes and Barsac AOC was one of the smallest in history because of frost and hail in spring and a poor summer. The yields of most estates do not exceed 5 to 10 hectolitres per hectare, while some have only produced a glass per vine. Such low quantities and the generally high quality level have pushed up bulk prices, a phenomenon that has also been observed in all the Bordeaux white wines, dry whites included. (Source: VSB)

Since 2007, the Côtes du Luberon appellation has regained market share by repositioning most of its production in the middle to premium range segments, reorganising its wine making and production methods and decreasing its volumes. At the end of June 2008, Côtes du Luberon sales had increased by 17%. (Source: La revue des Comptoirs)