Liv-ex: China will not be riding to rescue global wine trade

In one of its grimmer estimates, Liv-ex, the London-based fine wine trading platform, warned that with China’s sagging economic growth and political uncertainties, its allure for global wine merchants has dimmed and the country “will not be riding to the rescue of the global wine trade in difficult times ahead”

5m bottles of Spanish wine disguised as French in Bordeaux fraud scheme

Bordeaux investigators have discovered a fraud scheme which saw up to five million bottles of cheap Spanish wine disguised as French.

World’s largest duty-free store to launch this week

World’s largest duty-free complex, Haikou International Duty-Free City, is set to open its doors to the public tomorrow in Hainan’s port city of Haikou, China (Oct 28), state-owned ChinaDaily reported. 

Penderyn whisky scores multi-million pound China deal

Welsh whisky brand Penderyn has signed a lucrative deal to distribute its products across China in a move that will make the Asian country Penderyn’s biggest export market overnight.

What to expect from Italy’s 2022 vintage – from Alto Adige to Sicily

Italy’s 2022 vintage has needed a great deal of tactical and strategical interventions from its winemakers to reach its peak. Filippo Bartolotta speaks to producers about what can be expected from this year’s crop.

Where have all the bubbles gone?

CO2 shortages are causing havoc in the drinks industry with soaring prices meaning sites are having to halt production.

Global malt whisky market predicted to reach US$6.7 billion by 2031

Data collated by Allied Market Research pegged the malt whisky market value at US$4.3bn in 2021, with a 4.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) forecast for the next 10 years.

China’s third largest wine producer offloads 300 ha of Australian vineyards

Weilong Grape Co, one of the biggest wine producers in China, has announced the sale of 320 hectares of its Australian vineyards for AUS$143 million (RMB 660.6 million).

A Dolomitic global warning: how drought is devastating northern Italy

Filippo Bartolotta captures in words and pictures the devastating impact of the drought in northern Italy – and, with no rain forecast, the winemakers are worried.

World’s ‘most expensive’ Champagne sells for record US$2.5 million

A magnum of Château Avenue Foch 2017 has become the world’s most expensive Champagne after selling for an eye-watering US$2.5 million at auction – but there’s an additional aspect to the sale that its buyers see as an even greater investment. 

Carlsberg scraps glass beer bottles in new trial

Carlsberg has launched a trial of fibre bottles made using wood and plant-based materials, claiming to “protect the taste and fizziness” of the beer without the use of glass.

Wine Australia shuts China office as exports slump

Australian government-backed industry body Wine Australia will shut its office in Shanghai, as Australian wine imports into China continue to slump after Beijing levied hefty tariffs on the product.

AI-powered Martell boutique opens in Hainan

Pernod Ricard Travel Retail has cut the ribbon on a new luxury Cognac boutique in China’s duty-free haven Hainan. The drinks giant says the digitalised experience is like stepping into “virtual and real-life theatre”.

How China’s canned wine brand WiMo took over drinks market in a year

WiMo, a new Chinese canned wine brand created just in 2021, surprised the wine market by raising millions of funding recently, signalling market’s bullish confidence in China’s expanding low-alcohol drinks market, which is expected to reach over RMB 74 billion (US$11 billion) by 2025. 

Chinese wines won record-breaking medals at IWSC 2022

Chinese wines achieved record-breaking results by sweeping 133 medals in one of the world's most renowned wine and spirits competitions, proving the quality of Chinese wines is gaining recognition on the world stage.

World’s largest Scotch sells for £1.1million

The world’s largest bottle of whisky, containing 311 litres of 1989 Macallan single malt, was auctioned off for £1.1million on 25 May.

China’s wine and spirits imports pummeled by Covid in Q1

China's wine and spirits imports in Q1 were pummeled by Covid, but with monthlong lockdown in Shanghai and rumors of a similar lockdown in Beijing, is the worst yet to come?

China’s wine and spirits imports pummeled by Covid in Q1

China's wine and spirits imports in Q1 were pummeled by Covid, but with monthlong lockdown in Shanghai and rumors of a similar lockdown in Beijing, is the worst yet to come?

Vinexpo Asia to move from Hong Kong to Singapore for 2023

Vinexpo Asia is to move from Hong Kong to Singapore, with a show planned for May 2023, the drinks business can exclusively reveal.

​China’s beer industry is poised for big gains

​China’s beer industry is thriving and may even emerge from the pandemic stronger, according to new reports revealing its resurgence.