Daily Hive’s Post

Australia and New Zealand Unite for UK Wine Trade Tastings in 2025 🍇 📅 In an exciting development for the wine industry, Wine Australia and New Zealand Winegrowers are joining forces to host their annual UK trade tastings in 2025. Scheduled for 30 January in London at Lindley Hall, The Royal Horticultural Halls, and 4 February in Edinburgh at The Balmoral, these events will bring together wineries, importers, trade, and media from across the UK and Europe. 🌍 This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as it’s the first time both national associations have come together for the UK trade tastings. Building on the success of the Australia and New Zealand masterclass in Manchester in June 2024 and tastings in Copenhagen and Stockholm in October 2023, the combined event promises to showcase the unique synergy and complementary qualities of wines from both countries. Mark Stephenson of Grape and Grain lauded the initiative, noting the benefits for trade professionals juggling busy schedules. 🍷 The UK market remains pivotal for both Australian and New Zealand wines. Laura Jewell MW from Wine Australia highlighted the camaraderie and shared attributes between the two countries, from fine wine and great food to stunning scenery and a laid-back attitude. Chris Stroud of New Zealand Winegrowers emphasised the efficiency and expanded portfolio opportunities this joint event offers to buyers, retailers, and sommeliers. Registration for wineries and importers will open soon, with options for full and half tables to feature wines from both nations. #WineTrade #UKTastings #WineAustralia #NewZealandWinegrowers #TradeEvents #WineIndustry #Australia #NewZealand

33rd Interwine The Australian Pavilion is looking forward to your joining! The 33rd Interwine International Wine Fair, which will be held at the Poly World Trade Expo Center in Guangzhou from October 31st to November 2nd, will continue to appear in the center, helping the road to recovery of Australian wine and providing an excellent display platform for Australian wine to restart the Chinese market! With the return of Australian wine to the Chinese market after three years of absence this year, Australian wine has immediately become a hot spot in the market. The popularity of Australian wine can also be seen from relevant import data: According to the data of the General Administration of Customs, from January to July this year, the import volume of Australian bottled wine was 13.54 million liters, a year-on-year increase of 7988%; the import value was 266.91 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 22546%. Among them, if we only look at July, the import volume and import value of Australian bottled wine are far ahead of France, making it the first source of wine imports.

The PM Spirits team had the privilege to chat with spirits expert Alexandre Vingtier who schooled us on Calvados. Amongst many other things, his explanation of how "traveling distillers"/"ambulant distillers" hold a special place in the Normandie region was quite eye opening: Unlike Cognac - and to some degree Armagnac - which are primarily commercial products, Calvados holds a more dual identity: it is both a commercial product and a personal, family-crafted spirit, making it not just a product but a part of daily life and tradition in Normandy where Calvados is made. In the region, ambulant distillers are still a thing: currently, there are 36 active such traveling distillers, to compare with 3 in Armagnac (and none in Cognac, at least to my own knowledge). That's mostly because while Normandy hosts around 400 registered commercial producers within the Calvados appellation, there are approximately three times as many farms producing cider spirits for personal use. These smaller operations may not be officially recognized within the appellation, but they contribute significantly to the local culture. The spirits produced on these farms are non-commercial endeavors. Although technically not "Calvados", these distillates are cherished locally and known as "cider spirits" or affectionately termed "calva", highlighting the stuff's everyday presence, often enjoyed at the end of a meal or with coffee and embodying a sense of local heritage and community.

Have you ever thought about how COVID effected the wine industry for smaller vinyards in France? I know enjoyed a few more glasses ( ok, bottles) than usual during my 'covid-cation' time from work. I knew and saw first hand how restaurants, hotels, venues, caterers, and hospitality pros were being effected but the vinyards off the Route des Grands Crus were the last thing on my mind. We had the experience of a lifetime over the weekend, tasting multiple wines from various vinyards, chateaux, and domains and I asked the same question at all of our tastings, how did COVID effect your business? The answer was always the same, exportation. Many facilities increased their normal exportation from 10% to 30% to an astounding 90%! Today they are still exporting more than ever, typically around 50%. If you think you aren't a fan of French wine, I urge you to try again! The Route des Grands Crus has 1,247 plots of unique soil, producing literally thousands of wines in all budgets. Next time your looking for a bottle, read the label, doing a little googling, you may just find a true treasure!

Dreamscapes Fall Winter 2024 Submissions are now Being Accepted - Deadline is Monday, July 29. Dreamscapes Opportunity for Discover America Canada Members Only – Fall/Winter 2024: It's time to submit information for the next Discover America Canada Column with our partner Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine. CURRENT SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITY – Fall/Winter 2024 Issue - Ultimate Fall Food and Drink Activities at your Destination. Share your cool new food experiences. Let us know about your best cocktail bars, distilleries and wineries. Tell us why people should come to your destination for their ultimate food and drink experience. Submit to admin@discoveramericacanada.org before 12:00 PM EST, Monday, July 29, 2024. Please note, not all submissions will be able to be used – it will depend on the space available and the volume of submissions for each issue. If you have any question, do not hesitate to reach out to admin@discoveramericacanada.org.

Canada is making significant strides in expanding the recognition of our wines in the European market. At the recent CETA Committee on Wine and Spirits meeting, Canada expressed interest in updating the list of grape varietals—unchanged since 2003—that are allowed for labeling in the EU. This includes new varietals permitted under Canadian geographical indications (GIs), potentially opening new doors for our winemakers. The Canadian wine sector has a tremendous opportunity to grow its presence in the EU market as Canada currently imports 73 times more wine and spirits from the EU than the EU imports from Canada. It's an exciting time for Canadian wine producers, and I'm eager to see the positive impact these developments will have on our industry. #CanadianWine #GeographicalIndications #GrapeVarietals #WineIndustry #CETA #Trade #Export #EU

Wine lovers, raise your glasses!   When you think of Lanzarote, you probably think of year-round sunshine, volcanic landscapes and beautiful white-sand beaches.   All true. But there’s more to this island than meets the eye.   Local Lanzarote wine. 🍷   With no additives or strange chemicals, people from all over the world try to get their hands on a bottle of wine produced in Lanzarote. The demand is so high that farmers who used to grow vegetables are now cultivating grapes to keep up.   Now, imagine savouring a glass in an authentic local bodega, paired with delicious traditional Canarian cuisine...   Just recently, 8 Dutch holiday guests booked an exclusive local wine tasting + tapas experience with me.   After 9 years of offering private wine tastings, I know exactly where to find high-quality local wine and even better food. We visited two local bodegas and a typical Canarian restaurant serving traditional tapas dishes.   The ladies sampled over 10 DIFFERENT local Lanzarote wines, and all left with big smiles on their faces.   The places I take my guests to may not be super fancy. But they’re accessible to everyone, regardless of your (dis)ability. And offer the perfect atmosphere to really live an authentic Canarian experience – away from the tourist crowds and souvenirs made in China.   So, WINE not experience it for yourself on your next trip to Lanzarote?   Salud 🍷   #winetesting #traditionalfood #authenticexperience #accessibility #LanzAbility

Majestic Wine is toasting its most successful Christmas season in its 43-year history, with over 60,000 new customers joining the chain. During the eight weeks leading to Christmas Day, total sales surged by 8.1%, and the demand for its premium fine wines rose 13%. The boost in sales was complemented by the opening of six new stores in the past year and the robust performance from Majestic Commercial, its business-to-business arm. While #MajesticWine boasts 208 stores in its portfolio, it was quick to praise its commercial division for playing a crucial role in supporting 2,300 pubs, restaurants, and hospitality venues across the country. Majestic experienced its busiest trading day ever on the last Friday before Christmas. John Colley, the boss of Majestic, said it was a "sparkling Christmas" despite the wider sector backdrop having painted a bleaker picture of the industry's outlook. More at #Proactive #ProactiveInvestors http://ow.ly/TgFB1058hLu

French wine exports fell in 2023 with Champagne and Bordeaux leading the fall. French wine export decreased by 9.4% in 2023 hitting the lowest point sinfe 2006. Most notably the shipments from Champagne and Bordeaux regions lead the decline. Export of wines dropped to 122.6 million cases in 2023 while higher average price per bottle slightly compensated for the value decrease. The second biggest France export industry for years, wine and spirits have dropped to the 3rd place , bypassed by perfumes and cosmetics. Champagne, accounting for 37% of all France wine exports , saw shipments falling by 11% to 13.7milllion cases and €4.19bn in value. Bordeaux’s export decreased by 12% to 17.3million cases or €2.23bn in value. At the same time the top segment of Bordeaux wines is holding up quite well. Can the drop in exports lead to a bigger shift towards investors as opposed to consumers? Only time will tell but certainly interesting to see how the French wine industry will adapt to market changes. #bordeaux #champagne #winebusiness #trade

High-Profile Sommeliers from Asia Explore Australian Wine Regions 📰 Wine professionals from Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam have recently toured Australia's renowned wine regions. Organised by Wine Australia, the tours welcomed high-profile sommeliers and hospitality experts from these key Asian markets, providing them with a first-hand experience of Australia's diverse wine offerings through personalised tours, tastings, and dining occasions with local winemakers. 🍇 The visits, enabled by the Australian Government’s Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) program, included activities in several prestigious regions such as Beechworth, King Valley, Yarra Valley, Hunter Valley, Tasmania, Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, and McLaren Vale. Notably, guests from Japan tasted 140 wines from nearly 50 wineries, while their South Korean and Vietnamese counterparts sampled 245 wines from 53 wineries. 👨🎓 The esteemed visitors from Japan included Satoru Mori, Taku Iguro, and Miyuki Morimoto, while South Korea and Vietnam were represented by Sangiun Lee, Vi Le Hoang, Tram Thi Dung Tran, Taejeong Noh, and Minjoo Kim. Feedback highlighted the quality and diversity of Australian wine, with Minjoo Kim remarking on the enriching experience and the heartfelt dedication of Australian winemakers. 🌏 Paul Turale, Wine Australia's General Manager of Marketing, emphasised the significance of these visits in building sustained demand for Australian wines in Asian markets. The engagements showcased evolving styles, emerging varieties, and innovative winemaking, which are expected to bolster Australian wine listings and drive advocacy across the wider Asian region. #WineAustralia #AsianWineMarkets #AustralianWine #WineTour #Sommeliers #WineTasting #ExportMarkets