FrenchWine

South African Wine Outsells French in the UK Market

Filed under: Wine

The latest Nielsen numbers show that South African wine sales have outpaced French wine in the UK for the first time ever, due to South African wine sales growing 20% while French wine sales dropped by 12%. South Africa is now ranked fourth for selling wine in the UK market.

South Africa has been producing wine for centuries but only in the last 15-20 years have exports really begun to grow. This news shows that UK (and world?) shoppers have made a significant shift and no longer 'default' to European brands. Jo Mason, UK market manager, Wines of South Africa, was quoted as saying "This is a momentous occasion for the South African wine industry."

And a bad one for the French.

South Africa is clearly excited and looks for their wine to experience even more success as tourists flock to their country for the FIFA World Cup this year.

Source
Source

Tags: french wine, FrenchWine, south african wine, SouthAfricanWine, wine

French Winemakers Found Guilty of Falsely Labeling Wine

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Some embarrassing wine news came out of France this past week when a French court found 12 French winemakers guilty of running a scam that involved intentionally mislabeling wine bottles being sold to the American market. In 2008 French investigators noticed that the volume of pinot noir coming out of a certain region of the country were much higher than expected, and after a yearlong investigation it came to light that the winemakers were cutting the pinot noir with less expensive merlot and shiraz.

The wine giant E&J Gallo, who bought the wine and sold it to consumers under the Red Bicyclette label, has said that they're "deeply disappointed" by the fraud and are no longer selling Red Bicyclette to their customers.

Source

Tags: ej gallo, EjGallo, french wine, FrenchWine, gallo wine, GalloWine, lawsuit, red bicyclette, RedBicyclette, wine, wine fraud, wine news, WineFraud, WineNews

Will Diageo's Defection Damage Bordeaux?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

The story of Bordeaux's fortunes only seems to get worse over time. The most expensive and prestigious wine has taken hit after hit in the global crisis. Now there are rumblings of a move that could put the future of Bordeaux at serious risk. Global drinks giant Diageo has a division, Diageo Chateau & Estates that dominates much of the sale of wine in Bordeaux. According to a story in the Napa Valley Register says that Chateau & Estates has been selling off a lot of its Bordeaux inventory. The total value of the wine that it holds could be in the $200 million range and the repercussions of the sales could include a deep drop in the prices of Bordeaux. Lower prices could spark consumer interest in the short term but draw down the prestige of Bordeaux over time. The AFP also reports that the news is bad for other wine dealers who have stockpiled vintages of Bordeaux as an investment. As the prices fall, these retailers are struggling with potentially taking a loss on their wines.

At this point Bordeaux has pinned its hope on Asia where there has been a surge of interest in French wine, especially the prestigious first growth Bordeaux. As my colleague Tom Johansmeyer recently reported, wine is selling well at auctions in Hong Kong. The reportedly excellent 2009 vintage can also help boost the reputation of Bordeaux as long as there are still people interested in buying.

Source

Tags: bordeaux, diageo, french wine, FrenchWine, wine

Billionaire Auctions Wine For A Good Cause

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Auctions, Charity

At an upcoming Sotheby's auction you can indulge your love of French wine and your passion for doing good. The Sotheby's London auction on September 23 will include selections from the copious cellar of Belgian billionaire Albert Frere. Frere is auctioning off his prized vintages to benefit the Charles-Albert Frere Foundation, a charity set up to support children and disadvantaged adults. It is named after Frere's son who died in a car crash 10 years ago.

Frere often buys his wine directly from the chateaux and has it sent directly to his private cellar so it is in peak condition. This is the third in a series of wine auctions of Frere's collection. Highlights of this auction feature vintages from 1985 to 2005 with offerings from Petrus, Haut Brion, Marguax and La Tour. Shown at right is the Carre d'As 2000 Groupe Duclot lot which features two magnums of Latour, two magnums of Margaux, two magnums of Haut Brion and two magnums of Petrus all presented in an octagonal wooden presentation case, wrapped in a plain protective cardboard outer. The name translates as four aces. It is estimated at $16000-21000.

Tags: french wine, FrenchWine, petrus, sothebys, wine, wine auction, WineAuction

Chateau Soutard for Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

We've mentioned some California and Oregon wineries for sale before but the chance to own a French grand cru chateau is rare indeed. Decanter reports that the St-Emilion grand cru classé Château Soutard is for sale. The Chateau has been owned by the des Ligneris family since 1836 and is worth around 35 million euros. It sounds like the family isn't any great hurry to rid themselves of the vineyard but the process is definitely underway. While some French vinters may be facing trouble, houses with a long history, like Chateau Soutard will hopefully always thrive.

Source

Tags: chateau soutard, french wine, FrenchWine, st. emilion, wine, winery