NEWS |
Friday January 22 2021 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

“Tomorrow’s robots will not be marketed by today’s start-ups” claims Pellenc

In its robotics R&D work, Pellenc focuses mainly on “repetitive tasks such as tillage or containment spraying. We are also planning to automate pre-pruning or even pruning”.
Thursday January 21 2021 - Business by Vitisphere

Grands Crus wine bottles broken by their thieves

As the script of a comedy film, the scenario would probably have us laughing, but for the victims, it is anything but amusing.
Wednesday January 20 2021 - Culture and Wine by Vitisphere

Promoting French gourmet food pairings, wines and sensible drinking, in a positive way

The 100% digital campaign will be rolled out on social media platforms Instagram, Youtube, Facebook and Twitter until the end of February.
Tuesday January 19 2021 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Agroforestry pioneers Benoit and Delphine Vinet are Vitisphere readers’ personalities of the year

After planting their first trees in 2008, they launched their holistic approach in 2014 and feel it is within everyone’s reach.
Monday January 18 2021 - Winemaking by Vitisphere

A technique for regaining taste and sense of smell after Covid

Including essential oils and equipment, a kit costs less than fifty euros for three months.
Friday January 15 2021 - Business by Vitisphere

France’s first Vaccs'vin is on its way!

Christophe Avi, a winegrower in France’s Brulhois area, is releasing a wine at the end of January that promises to have side effects.
Thursday January 14 2021 - marketing by Vitisphere

Covid or not, En Primeur week will go ahead in Bordeaux and other venues

Although the economic situation under Covid is still very much up in the air, the Bordeaux wine industry is hoping to replicate the success of last year's 2019 En Primeur campaign.
Wednesday January 13 2021 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

A tunnel shelters vines from 80% of plant protection products

The Viti-Tunnel also warded off black rot, dead arm disease and grey rot. To combat powdery mildew, which only requires dampness and wind to spread, the partner chateaux used 2 to 4 kg per hectare of wettable sulphur every 10 to 20 days.
Tuesday January 12 2021 - Wine and Health by Vitisphere

Grape compounds able to block a key enzyme in the Covid-19 virus

In April, a Chinese team synthesised two compounds that inhibit the Mpro enzyme, with good in vivo results in dogs and mice. Their work was published in Science Magazine.
Monday January 11 2021 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

French wine industry continues to be hijacked by aviation issues

There is now no way still wines can avoid the duties – by shipping in bulk or raising ABV to over 14% – and some sparkling wines and spirits are also targeted.
Friday December 25 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Official endorsement and geo-oenological studies in the pipeline for ‘Volcanic wine’

Pierre Desprat accepts his reputation as the custodian of volcanic wines. His personal vision is that only wines from volcanic plots should eligible for the endorsement.
Thursday December 24 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

Sales of Champagne plummet by 25%

“We need to capture the imagination more and the legend surrounding our appellation. We realised in 2020 that digital technology can also allow us to convey emotion”, says Jean-Marie Barillère.

Wednesday December 23 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

3 % of French winegrowers use horses

68% of estates using horse-drawn farm implements are certified organic.
Tuesday December 22 2020 - distribution by Vitisphere

14 charged with stealing €5 million worth of classified growths in Bordeaux

During their raids, the police and gendarmes found cases from prestigious estates, with bottles ranging in size “up to the Mathusalem (6 litres)”.
Monday December 21 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Does biodynamic winegrowing produce better quality wines?

A summary of these trials is due in six months’ time.
Friday December 18 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

Covid puts a dent in revenues of French wine exports

In a globally competitive wine market, the value of French wines suffered far more than the average.
Thursday December 17 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Electric weeding performs as well as glyphosate beneath the vines

The trials did not cause any burns or damage to the grapes.

Wednesday December 16 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

The French wine industry considers ‘deferred vineyard restructuring’, aka temporary vine pulls

“The proposal by the wine board is based on vine pull and staggered restructuring. The technical details have not yet been decided”, explains Jérôme Despey.

Tuesday December 15 2020 - Wine and media by Vitisphere

A caricature fuels controversy over male chauvinism in the French wine industry

“The wine industry’s “green” revolution is underway, but there is still another Bastille to be stormed and that is its male chauvinism and sexism, which pervade every aspect of the industry”, said celebrated French lawyer Eric Morain.
Monday December 14 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Loire Wine Show changes dates and combines with fringe events in 2021

With its new format, “the show’s exhibitor numbers would increase from 600 to 1,200, if Dive joins us”, points out Eric Grelier.
Friday December 11 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Bordeaux is ready to plant its new grape varieties

Although the grapes have been tried and tested, they will remain secondary varieties in Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur production specifications.
Thursday December 10 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Europe’s largest wine estate offers a shining example of resilience to climate change

Along with its conversion to organic, Domaine Royal de Jarras has also rolled out disease-resistant grape varieties on a dozen hectares.
Wednesday December 09 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

We visited Jack Ma’s vineyard, and… you’ve never seen anything like it!

Jack Ma, Bordeaux vineyard philanthropist or a businessman ahead of the curve?
Tuesday December 08 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

The first yield monitor sensor is on its way

“We are going to roll out the sensor in several vineyards next summer to acquire more data and automate the calibration”, promises Benjamin Boissier.
Monday December 07 2020 - opinions by Vitisphere

“The French wine industry should not rejoice over Chinese import taxes on Australian wines”

“Above and beyond the economic ups and downs, research shows that the Chinese market is set to grow. There are still good prospects in China”, claims Allan Sichel, confident about the market's potential.
Friday December 04 2020 - Land management by Vitisphere

Diam finances the largest planting programme of cork oaks ever rolled out in Provence

Forest maintenance will cost an estimated 15,000 euros per hectare for the first five years.
Thursday December 03 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Two in three independent French winegrowers belong to an environmental scheme

According to the survey, two in three non-certified winegrowers plan to join an environmental scheme in the coming years.
Wednesday December 02 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

Prices of red Burgundy boosted by a surge in white wine production

For the 2020 vintage, drought over the summer took its toll on juice yields for the reds, with production shortfalls frequently ranging from 20 to 50% across Burgundy.

Tuesday December 01 2020 - marketing by Vitisphere

The lessons learnt from the ‘Covid test’ label for red Bordeaux

Winegrower Jean-Christophe Mauro is not only modernising his labels to engage with younger and less traditional audiences, he is also revisiting the style of his wines.
Monday November 30 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Budburst occurs during pruning in Bordeaux and Burgundy

When in doubt and to avoid a drop in productivity, Professor Alain Deloire recommends winegrowers wait until the cold weather sets in before pruning short.
Friday November 27 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Mouton Cadet in search of the Holy Grail of ‘zero pesticide residue’

“The phasing out of CMRs has shown us that many things are possible in Bordeaux”, says Philippe Degrendel.
Thursday November 26 2020 - Wine people by Vitisphere

9 female winegrowers join forces to share their experience of Champagne

The Ennead wants to gradually build a new vision of Champagne, from peer to peer, linking it to a long-standing winegrowing model, divided among several categories, who sometimes struggle, like other families, to get along.
Wednesday November 25 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

“Worry and anxiety on a daily basis” for Alsace winegrowers

“What worries people is that we still don't know when we'll get back to normal. There is no end to this situation, or at least it’s difficult to imagine one”, comments Francis Backert.
Tuesday November 24 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Cognac approves 2,300 ha of vine plantings for 2021

For the next applications for planting permits, the Business Plan will be reviewed in April 2021, following the appointment of a new BNIC chair.
Monday November 23 2020 - Wine people by Vitisphere

James Suckling: “I definitely think that online tastings can replace physical ones”

At 61, James Suckling is reported to have tasted and rated 225,000 wines since the start of his career.
Friday November 20 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

Provence rosé producers move forward with confidence

As many French wine regions face doom and gloom this autumn, morale among Provence rosé wine producers remains generally high at the start of the marketing season.
Thursday November 19 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

“Fortunately”, European wine production is not “huge”

“I don't know if distillation, private storage and green harvesting measures will be enough. But they will be necessary to remove volumes. We must avoid an excessive rise in inventories at all costs, otherwise it would be a catastrophe”, claimed Coste.
Wednesday November 18 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

French female footballer Gaëtane Thiney creates her own brand of Champagne

“I have set myself a target of marketing 5,000 bottles to begin with”, says Gaëtane Thiney.

Tuesday November 17 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie: “The WTO ruling will allow us to redress the balance of power” set off-kilter by the Trump taxes

“France is the world’s foremost wine country and as Minister of Agriculture and Food, this is a source of pride for me”, said Julien Denormandie.
Monday November 16 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

Europe strikes back at Trump taxes, and causes concern for French wines

In 2019, French wines held a 32% market share in the United States, which has now fallen to 19%, while Italian wines have surged from 33% to 41%.
Friday November 13 2020 - Wine people by Vitisphere

The Hospices de Beaune auction to welcome professional attendees

“The ongoing health situation gives this anniversary sale an unprecedented symbolic significance”, explained the Hospices de Beaune.

Thursday November 12 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Olivier and Martin Bouygues invest in Cognac

The Métairie distillery is prioritising supplies of mature brandy and is being equipped with storage facilities so that in the long term it can develop its own brand.
Wednesday November 11 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

Jacques Gravegeal: “The Pays d’Oc market is totally in balance”

“We're running out of supply for 2019 rosés and are moving on to the 2020s. We need to quickly bridge the gap, that's our priority”, says Jacques Gravegeal.
Tuesday November 10 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Vinovalie revolutionises boxed wines, turning them on their heads

Containing the equivalent of three bottles, the boxes are competitively priced. “The IGP wines in the Grand 8 range will not be sold above €8 and the appellation brands will be under €10”, says Jacques Tranier.
Monday November 09 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Wine Paris postponed until June 2021 and Vinexpo Bordeaux until June 2022

“We work for our clients. Maintaining the events at all costs would have been a bad decision, and ultimately cancelling in February would not have made sense”, points out Rodolphe Lameyse.
Friday November 06 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

French PGI wines “maturing” towards “stricter production management”

“PGI wine offers good value for money and a dynamic, mould-breaking image”, claims Gérard Bancillon.
Thursday November 05 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Compulsory exemption for planting conventional vines as organic starting 2022

Winegrowers who do not comply with the new obligations will run the risk of having their vineyards declassified.

Wednesday November 04 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

After Liber Pater, Loïc Pasquet continues to wind up the Bordeaux wine industry

Currently marketing his first 1,200 bottles out of a total 6,000 of the 2018 Denarius label, Loïc Pasquet claims his winemaking ideology is styled more after Burgundy than Bordeaux.
Tuesday November 03 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte gets fined €216,600

This hefty fine comes at a bad time for the co-operative group - the Champagne industry has been particularly badly hit by the Covid-19 crisis.
Monday November 02 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

France’s second lockdown coincides with the “biggest month” for wine sales

Jaillance has not taken any steps to restrict payments to the winery’s 220 members and took out a State-guaranteed loan last spring.
Friday October 30 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Rémy Cointreau makes a comeback in Champagne

One third of the grapes grown by Maison J. de Telmont are currently certified organic. In 2021, the estate will also be HVE certified.

Thursday October 29 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

IGP du Tarn wines aim to join Pays d’Oc

“Within the appellation, we have worked on our typicity and are considering applying for Cru status. We need a fall-back solution with good price points for IGP wines”, explains Cédric Carcenac.

Wednesday October 28 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Lockdown pushes up prices of vine posts

To avoid buying second-rate steel, buyers should ask for steel material certificates.
Tuesday October 27 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

A winery entirely made from mud and wood in Margaux

A compressed mud vault will support the wooden framework. “This will be the only load-bearing one in the world”, announces a delighted Tristan Le Lous.
Monday October 26 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

French MEP Éric Andrieu advocates de-alcoholised wine, ingredients labelling and planting authorisations

“Vines are perennial plants and they require a clear roadmap”, stresses Languedoc MEP Eric Andrieu.
Friday October 23 2020 - competition by Vitisphere

France triumphs once again at world blind tasting contest

This is France’s third victory since 2012.

Thursday October 22 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Bordeaux wine shipper uses wine residues as fuel

ED 95, a by-product of winegrowing, is cheaper per litre (€0.85 excluding VAT compared to €1.25 excluding VAT for professional-use diesel) but uses at least 40% more fuel, which is a sizeable increase.
Wednesday October 21 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Cognac has big ambitions for its environmental footprint

Some winegrowers only need to organise their traceability issues before they can be audited, whereas others still have to invest in controlled spraying equipment or set up washing areas.
Tuesday October 20 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Vignobles Jeanjean moves into Pic Saint Loup

The company sells 2.3 million bottles a year in wine stores, supermarkets and the hospitality industry in France and in export markets.
Monday October 19 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Marie Brizard to sell Moncigale wine brands, Boisset invests in rosés

The sales offer should be finalised by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
Friday October 16 2020 - marketing by Vitisphere

French Crémants target British market collectively

In the English market, Alsace Crémants have a minor presence, whereas Loire and Burgundy offerings have better representation
Thursday October 15 2020 - marketing by Vitisphere

Beaujolais Nouveau launch disrupted by uncertainties caused by Covid-19

The only certainty in the current market chaos is the decline in volumes marketed as Nouveau.
Wednesday October 14 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Lower Champagne yields bring down French crop estimates

As a consequence of an early vintage, by “the end of September, the bulk of the crop had been harvested and only a minority of late-ripening areas were left”, said the Ministry of Agriculture.
Tuesday October 13 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Leading end-of-year French wine grower fairs cancelled

Although exhibitors get a refund in the event of a cancellation, this is not the main issue: “There is a huge problem of loss of earnings”, points out Pierre-Antoine Giovannoni.
Monday October 12 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

Compulsory purchase contract for Pays d'Oc making life difficult for wineries

Although the majority of industry players are in favour of a balanced market, reactions to the measure on the ground have been varied
Friday October 09 2020 - Winemaking by Vitisphere

French coopers sustain revenues

In value terms, the popularity of large format barrels has led to growth of 8.6% in the domestic market and 2.7% elsewhere.
Thursday October 08 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

Natural wine organisation celebrates its first anniversary

“Fifty labels is still not much”, concedes chairman Jacques Carroget (center).
Wednesday October 07 2020 - marketing by Vitisphere

One French co-operative winery is looking beyond the crisis for new opportunities

“When you are the region’s leading player by volume, you have no option but to fight on”, says Eric Lanxade (right).

Tuesday October 06 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

The French wine industry has a year to convince the authorities that it should be allowed to spray by drone

850 hectares could be treated by UAV in the northern Côtes du Rhône, Beaujolais and Savoy regions. The technique is also attracting interest in Alsace.
Monday October 05 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

Cognac growers relaxed about higher-than-expected yields

The four major Charente firms are Hennessy, Martell, Courvoisier and Rémy Martin.
Friday October 02 2020 - Culture and Wine by Vitisphere

Beaujolais Nouveau 2020 - intimacy rather than large-scale festivities

“There is not just one ‘Nouveau’ any more but a whole host of Nouveaux”, claims Inter Beaujolais.
Thursday October 01 2020 - Business by Vitisphere

Wine Paris, Vinexpo and Sitevi trade fairs not part of Comexposium safeguard plan

“Contacts and exchanges between people cement business and I remain convinced that face-to-face relationships will always be a business facilitator for our communities”, said Renaud Hamaide, chairman of Comexposium, in a statement.
Wednesday September 30 2020 - wine Tourism by Vitisphere

The Percée du Vin Jaune festival postponed until 2022, and revisited

Traditionally held every first weekend in February, the Percée du Vin Jaune could also take place on the second weekend in February so as not to overlap with the Transjurassienne cross-country skiing event.
Tuesday September 29 2020 - Market conditions by Vitisphere

Languedoc wines post encouraging data

At her September press conference, Miren de Lorgeril outlined the main thrust of the marketing board’s plans for the future.
Monday September 28 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

The Trump tax costs the French wine industry $500 million, and its patience

“The situation has gone on long enough, we will not just bury the hatchet. We won’t just leave it at that”, said Jérôme Despey on 23 September during a video press conference.
Friday July 31 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

Continued deadlock over 2020 yields in Alsace

During its AGM, the Alsace Viticulture Association (AVA) voted for a yield level of 70 hl/ha for still white wines but the position has since been rejected.

Thursday July 30 2020 - Industry issues by Vitisphere

Champagne fails to agree on 2020 yields

Negotiations over the next few weeks will be decisive.
Wednesday July 29 2020 - Wine people by Vitisphere

Former OIV director Jean-Marie Aurand to chair the 2022 Saint-Émilion classification

The following members have been appointed to the 2022 classification committee: Jean-Marie Aurand, Philippe Brisebarre, Michel Bronzom, Philippe Costem, Yves Dietrich, François-Régis de Fougeroux and Cyril Payon.
Tuesday July 28 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Château d'Yquem certified organic by 2022

Château d'Yquem has had a weather station for 140 years and has never recorded higher levels of rainfall between April and May than in 2020.
Monday July 27 2020 - Vine growing by Vitisphere

Provence winegrower shot at with a rifle for spraying by night

The neighbour has admitted to firing the shots
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