The debate has raged on for weeks now; winegrower trade unions, and wine producers all over France have appealed to the public to express its opposition to the proposed plan by Brussels to authorise the production of rosé through the process of blending to produce table wines without any specific geographic origin. The latter represents around 10% of rosé wine production in France and overall the production of rosé wine makes up 10 to 12% of French wine production. The issue could have been seen to be minor it has, however, created a heated public debate. On Monday 8th June Marianne Fischer-Boel announced the European Commission’s decision to maintain the ban on making rosé wine by blending red and white wine together to make wines without a specific geographic origin. The European commissioner for Agriculture commented, “It is important to listen to our wine producers when they are worried about changes in EU regulations. It was clear from what we have seen over these last few weeks that the majority of our wine-producing sector thought that to put an end to the ban on blending would taint the traditional image of the rosé wine.” (Source: WineAlley.com)

Pierre-Henry Gagey, President of the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), announced last week that Burgundy export wine sales fell by 30% in the first quarter of 2009, while the French market remained stable.
In 2008, Burgundy wine sales on all markets were slightly lower than in 2007, which was an “exceptional” year. 194 million bottles were sold last year, a 5.1% decrease, generating sales of about €1.1 billion.

The US and UK, which account for 45% of Burgundy exports, both posted 25% decreases in volume in 2008, which are explained by the economic crisis and unfavourable exchange rates.
In 2008, Burgundy sales remained stable in France, but 2009 is expected “to be more difficult”, according to Michel Baldassini, Deputy President of the BIVB. (Source: AFP)

The Japanese version of the Burgundy Wine Bureau’s website has just been launched. Japanese consumers and trade professionals will find on it all the information they need to really understand Burgundy wines.

Japan is the 3^rd largest export market for Burgundy wines. (Source: VSB)

Since 2005, OIV has had figures enabling the observation of trends in Turkish vineyards, which decreased in overall surface area from 555,000 hectares (1.359 million acres) to 500,000 hectares (1.236 million acres) by 2008. (Source: La Revue Vinicole Internationale)

According to the figures of the Argentinean commission for wine tourism, the number of people who visited Argentinean wineries between 2003 and 2008, increased by 142%. In 2008, about 1.2 million tourists visited the 163 cellars open to the public (of which there were only 62 in 2004), especially in Mendoza province. (Source: VSB)

On Reunion Island, vines that grow in really extreme conditions produce a wine at an altitude close to 1,100 metres: a vin de pays with the appellation ‘Cilaos’.

17 winegrowers share the 9 hectares (22 acres) of vines, an area that is expected to double in the coming 5 years.

The brand new cellar commercialises 30,000 bottles of sweet and dry whites, rosé and red in 30%, 65% and 5% proportions respectively. (Source: la Revue du Vin de France)

It’s got no vineyards of it sown, but a new winery hopes its “Made in Hong Kong” label will make a mark on the growing Asian market.

The 8th Estate Winery has produced Hong Kong's first wine, using grapes that are shipped frozen from other countries.

The thawing, fermentation, aging and blending of the grapes takes place at the winery, which has just released its first batch of reds, whites and ice wines.

"We always label where our grapes came from and we are quite proud to say where the varieties are sourced," said winery director Lysanne Tusar.

The 8th Estate has so far produced 100,000 bottles, of which 60,000 have been sold. The rest are being aged. (Source: Reuters)