Q&A: Marie-Annick Consola, sales director, Vignobles Foncalieu

Anne Krebiehl talks to Marie-Annick Consola of Vignobles Foncalieu a collective co-operative that covers numerous appellations across the south of France and the Rhône Valley. It's 1,200 members work 5,100 hectares of vineyards and sales exceed 21 million bottles. Foncalieu's progressive management embarked on the path of premium production roughly a decade ago. Consola wasin London to introduce the 'Iconic' range, a collection of stand-out wines from distinct appellations like Saint-Chinian, Corbières, Minervois and Côteaux d'Esérune as well as the wines of Château Haut Gléon in Corbières. While Foncalieu still provides some own-label wines for Asda, it has largely moved away from the high-volume off-trade.

Record sales at Hospices de Beaune as investors cash in on Burgundy

The 153rd Hospices de Beaune auction yesterday resulted in its highest sale since 2000, raising over €6.3m, nearly 400k euros more than last year.

Krug launches magnum format for rosé

The House of Krug is to release Krug Rosé in magnums for the first time.

Sotheby's to sell 100 cases of Opus One for $165,000

Sotheby's wine retail store is selling 100 six bottle cases of iconic Californian wine, Opus One, as a one off collection starting today for only the next four days, with vintages spanning from 1997 to 2005, for $165,000.

Burgundy 2012 en primeur kicks off with some allocations already "exhausted"

The severly reduced Burgundy harvest for 2012 is resulting in producers holding en primeur tastings this month with "Allocation Exhausted" labels over some bottles.

Michelin star chef Michel Roux is face of Everyday Bordeaux consumer campaign

Michelin star chef Michel Roux of Le Gavroche fame has teamed up with the 2013 Everyday Bordeaux collection of wines, to promote those wines considered by a panel of judges from the Association of Wine Educators to offer some of the best value Bordeaux currently available in the UK.

Disgraced Bordeaux UK chief banned as director for nine years

Ian Vanderhook of Bordeaux UK has been banned as a director for nine years after his company collapsed with debts of more than £10m.

Douglas Blyde explores Alsace wine with Etienne and Kaoru Hugel on their "working honeymoon"

I reflect, an hour afterwards, on the lightening that threatened to lash my City Jet's slim belly as it was hassled by turbulence heading back to London. Now, with every sip of soothing Alsace wine savoured in Hakkasan's dining room of ebony and Chinoiserie, tension steadily slips away.

Giles Fallowfield travels back 100 years with Lanson's vintage Champagne

Lanson head winemaker Jean-Paul Gandon with his heir apparent Hervé Danton were in London last week for a dinner at Vintners Halls to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of vintage Champagne at the house. Lanson's first vintage Champagne was produced in 1904 and in a nice bit of symmetry it was the first opportunity to taste the newly released 2004 Lanson vintage, another good example of the large, forward and attractive '04 vintage showing biscuity complexity and a long finish.

Analysis: How France is holding its own in global wine production despite difficult 2013 vintage

In response to last week's report from Morgan Stanley Research, which revealed a possible global wine shortage on the horizon, Harpers.co.uk is taking a closer look at key wine producing countries to assess whether they may or may not be contributing to the the global wine shortage hype. Today we look at France.

Morgan Stanley predicts global wine shortage

Average French bottle of wine now sells for £6.20 says France Summit

The average bottle of French wine in the UK off-trade sold for £6.10 in the 12 weeks up to October 22 compared to the market average of £5.24, according to figures released at last week's inaugural Harpers France Summit in London.

Q&A: Thierry Budin, general director of Crédit Agricole

Over a tasting at seminal London restaurant, Le Gavroche, due to close for a month-long refurbishment in January, Douglas Blyde talks to Thierry Budin, general director of Crédit Agricole. The châteaux collection incorporates Bordeaux properties: Château de Rayne Vigneau (first growth Sauternes), Château Grand-Puy Ducasse (fifth growth Pauillac) and Château Blaignan (Médoc, Bourgeois). Also in the portfolio: Château de Santenay (which includes Mercurey, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune 1er Cru and Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy), and Château Saint Louis La Perdrix (Rhône).

Château Haut-Gléon to open its gates to tourists

Southern French wine co-operative Les Vignobles Foncalieu is opening its Château Haut-Gléon vineyards as a wine tourism destination.

French Wine Awards 2013 winners revealed

Waitrose, Les Caves de Pyrène, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Gerard Basset MS OBE and Andrew Jefford were some of the major winners in the first Harpers French Wine Awards announced yesterday at its inaugural France Summit in London.

French attitude to UK wine market improved, hears summit

There has been a marked improvement in recent years in the attitude of many French producers looking to work in the UK market, according to Anne Burchett, managing director of Sopexa UK. 

Fears France's latest vintage will put pressure on UK retailers

Whilst the French wine category is currently enjoying "unprecedented" sales in some UK retailers, there are real concerns about what impact this year's expected troubled vintage is going to have on the market in the year ahead.

Gavin Quinney scoops Special Recognition accolade at French Wine Awards

Gavin Quinney, the English winemaker who owns and produces wine at Château Bauduc in Bordeaux, has won the Special Recognition Award at the first Harpers French Wine Awards.

Live report from the France Summit 2013

The darling of the UK market, France, is being celebrated today at St Ermin's Hotel in London, with players in all channels coming together to discuss the importance and future of the UK's favourite wine-producing country.

Leading UK wine trade figures head to London for first France Summit

Leading figures from across the UK wine trade will be attending tomorrow's inaugural Harpers France Summit that will look at how well the industry is sourcing, promoting and selling French wine across the on and off-trades.