Im vergangenen Jahr wurden weltweit 244 Millionen Hektoliter Wein konsumiert, was einem Anstieg von rund drei Millionen Hektolitern gegenüber dem Vorjahr entspricht. Dies teilte das Deutsche Weininstitut (DWI) auf Basis der jüngsten Daten der Internationalen Organisation für Rebe und Wein (OIV) mit. Danach wurde 2011 in Frankreich mit 29,9 Millionen Hektolitern am meisten Wein getrunken, gefolgt von den USA (28,5 Mio. hl) und Italien (23,1 Mio. hl). Deutschland steht mit einem Wein- und Sektkonsum von 20 Millionen Hektolitern an vierter Stelle der weltweit größten Weinkonsummärkte.
by Adam Lechmere – In an extraordinary act of homage, Penfolds is releasing its ultra-rare Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 in a hand-blown glass ampoule in a hand-tooled wooden cabinet – for the price of a dozen cases of rare Bordeaux.
The vessel – ‘Essentially a hand-blown glass ampoule that provides an ideal wine environment and a bespoke glass plumb-bob that suspends the ampoule within a wooden Jarrah cabinet’ – retails for approximately AUD$168,000.
Such a sum, the equivalent of £100,000, would buy ten or more cases of Chateau Lafite 2009, or an entire case of Domaine de la Romanee Conti, Romanee Conti 2000, with change. It would also pay for four experienced teachers for a year, or five newly-qualified nurses, or Cristiano Ronaldo‘s wages for two and a half days.
But then the Real Madrid striker does not have Peter Gago flying in personally to adjust his shinpads: so rare is the ampoule – only 12 have been made – that the Penfolds
OIV – 22/06/2012 – As from 23 June 2012, Ms. Claudia Inés Quini (Argentina) will replace Mr. Yves Bénard (France) at the head of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the intergovernmental reference organization in the vitivinicultural domain.
Ms. Quini has been elected President of the OIV for a three-year term. The election took place during the 10th General Assembly of the Organisation, which was held in the Turkish coastal city of Izmir the 22 June 2012, immediately following the XXXV World Congress of Vine and Wine.
Born in the Argentinean region of Mendoza, Claudia Inés Quini holds a university degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, and has specialized further in management and research in the vitivinicultural domain. She is also the Deputy Head of Research at the National Institute for Vitiviniculture of Argentina (INV).
by Giles Fallowfield -Louis Roederer has increased its vineyard ownership to 230 hectares following the purchase of Champagne Leclerc Briant.
After the death of Pascal Leclerc Briant in 2010 his four daughters have gradually sold off the 30ha estate. The first tranche was 17ha in October 2011: Roederer bought two hectares of vineyard in the premier cru of Cumières, where it already owns land, while Lanson bought 13ha.
Following that sale, a deal believed to be in excess of €40m was reached between the sisters and the Rouzaud family, which owns Roederer, to buy the whole of Leclerc Briant. This included the brand name, buildings in Epernay, several years’ stock, grape purchase contracts and crucially, from Roederer’s point of view, the remaining 13ha of vineyard mainly located in the adjoining premiers crus of Hautvilliers, Cumières and Damery.
by Jane Anson in Bordeaux – A Chinese food company has bought a majority stake in major Bordeaux negociant DIVA. DIVA is the first négociant to cede a majority stake to a Chinese company – in this case Shanghai Sugar Cigarette and Wine (SSCW), a subsidiary of state-owned Bright Food, which says it is China’s largest food products group.
The new partnership, due to be signed in Paris on Wednesday, means that SSCW will take 70% of the shares of DIVA Bordeaux. Pierre Beuchet, founder and president, and managing director Jean-Pierre Rousseau, will keep a stake of around 30%. A representative of SSCW will become chairman of a new supervisory committee.
Rousseau told Decanter.com,