It may be hard to believe, but Lombardy, the most industrial region in Italy (its capital Milan is also the capital of the Italian press, Italian culture, Italian commerce and finance, and the fashion world), is also one of the most important Italian regions for agriculture. Not only does it produce grain, milk and cheese, but it also produces wine.
Read more...In his opening speech at Vinexpo 2005, Dominique Bussereau, the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, promised robust measures to defend [France's] position in international markets' but stopped short of outlining any new initiatives.
Read more...A conference organised by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO), held in Bordeaux at Vinexpo on 22 June as part of the 70th anniversary of the creation of the first French AOC, at once highlighted the desirability of a global system and the difficulty of reaching it. INAO president Ren Renou emphasised, We don't want a French system, we want a global system, and the more we all respect each other, the more positive the result will be'; while Alexander Tilgenkamp, deputy director-general of the Directorate-General for Agriculture at the European Commission, explained the administrative burden on EC institutions and the impasse in WTO negotiations on TRIPS (trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights).
Read more...They're not shouting from the rooftops, but it seems highly likely that the major southern hemisphere generic bodies are to unite and organise a show to rival Vinexpo and the LIWSF.
Read more...Having already made it to the front of the admittedly meagre field of wine television programmes, the daytime TV husband-and-wife team that hosts the eponymous Richard & Judy show is to venture into the world of wine publishing with a new guide book, the Richard & Judy Wine Guide.
Read more...Pernod Ricard's bid to take over Allied Domecq has crossed an important administrative hurdle after the European Commission gave its approval to the deal last week.
Read more...The value of shares in the family-owned parent company of Champagne Taittinger, Taittinger SA, has risen strongly following reports that the company is up for sale and considering numerous takeover bids'.
Read more...On 14 June, late French President Franois Mitterand's wine cellar was auctioned for €14,683 at the Htel Drouot in Paris.
Read more...Just when the Scotch Whisky Association thought its work on defining the different categories of Scotch was over, along comes Sir Iain Noble.
Read more...Corby bottlers has installed a new generation of screwcap machinery fitted with a vacuum system'.
Read more...Cockburn & Campbell has been appointed sole agent for the wine of Chilean producer Terra Mater.
Read more...The Alpine Italian province of Trentino, the Italian-speaking part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northern Italy, is home not only to distinctive white wines and full-bodied reds, but also to piquant spumante, ethereal grappa and delicate Vin Santo. Innovative cooperative wineries perform the bulk of the region's production, the remainder handled by smaller specialty producers. Nearly half of Italy's bottle-fermented sparkling wines come from this region, and an overwhelming proportion of its wines possess DOC status. With five principal viticultural areas and more than 20 varieties cultivated, Trentino produces a broad variety of increasingly distinguished wines with unmistakable regional character.
Read more...Shipping giant P&O Nedlloyd has cut lead times for Australian shipments by nearly five weeks.
Read more...John Stimpfig beat a shortlist of fellow Harpers contributors to pick up the International Wine Writer of the Year prize for his work in the FT: How to Spend It supplement at the inaugural Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards, presented at Vinexpo earlier this week.
Has your wine list changed much since you opened the restaurant in 1989?
Read more...London wine merchant Philglas & Swiggot has opened its third shop in Marylebone's New Quebec Street (020 7402 0002), to the north of Oxford Street.
The Comit Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), the trade organisation which represents Champagne houses and growers, has introduced a pan-European competition aimed at rewarding anyone who teaches, lectures or educates on the subject of Champagne.
Read more...Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey has overtaken Diageo's Gordon's gin to become the UK's third biggest spirit brand with a 6.2% share of the on-trade market.
Read more...The consortium headed by Constellation Brands and Brown Forman has abandoned its attempt to take over Allied Domecq. City analysts believe this leaves the way open for Pernod Ricard's recommended 7.4 billion offer in conjunction with Fortune Brands for the UK drinks giant to proceed without further challenge.
In celebrating Italy's diversity, we have tried to cover as many regions as we can between this summer and the rest of the year, focusing especially on those lesserknown ones, such as Basilicata included in this supplement and Trentino in the accompanying issue. We have also asked some of the top experts writing on Italian wine for the UK market, Nicolas Belfrage MW, Michael Palij MW and Franco Ziliani, to look at some of the themes that underpin Italy's modern vinous identity: the tensions between indigenous and imported' grape varieties, between traditional and modern' vinification techniques and between big brands and smaller producers.
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