Laithwaite’s, the UK subsidiary of global mail order wine business Direct Wines, has two new wine buyers.

Viña Errázuriz’ has announced that Andrés Izquierdo is its new CEO, including its Viña Caliterra and Viña Seña subsidiaries.

The organiser of ProWein has announced that ProWein 2014 is already fully booked, six months before the show.

New Zealand Winegrowers says wine drinkers globally are continuing to buy New Zealand wines.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has reported a net profit after tax of AUS$42.3 million for the full year. Earnings before interes and tax (EBITs) stood at $209.2m. Net sales revenue was up 1.9%.

The Wiener Gemischte Satz region has become a DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus).

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has announced that latest figures show that worldwide student numbers for the academic year 2012/13, just finished, stand at an all-time high of 48,434, up 12% on the previous year.

A boutique winery is being installed in west London with the intention of processing grapes from the likes of Bordeaux, Languedoc and the Roussillon and making wine from September.

Richard Grosche, joint editor-in-chief of both Meininger’s Weinwelt and Sommelier Magazin, is joining the Reichsrat von Buhl estate winery in January.

London Wine Fair organisers Brintex has reported a “decidedly positive response” from existing exhibitors signing up for 2014.

Treasury Wine Estates  announced the signing up of former England cricket captains and Ashes legends Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan - on the first day of the much anticipated Ashes cricket series.

Chapel Down, the English winemaker, has secured more than £4.3 million in new equity funding to expand the business and help grow its reputation both at home and overseas.

Georg Riedel and Angelo Gaja – two famous names in the wine world – are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Riedel’s Sommeliers collection in London in September.

Nomacorc has announced the launch of  what it describes as a “breakthrough next generation oxygen analyser system”.

Peter Lehmann, one of the founders and giants of the modern Australian wine industry has died, aged 82

The Intellectual Property Office in New Zealand has issued a Certificate of Trade Mark Registration providing consumer protection against wines illegitimately labelled as Napa Valley.

The Fladgate Partnership has announced that it has purchased the brand, stocks and vineyard holdings of Wiese & Krohn in a deal that includes stocks of aged tawnies and colheitas dating back to 1863, plus Quinta do Retiro Novo in the Rio Torto Valley in the Douro. 

The Diego Zamora group has appointed Thomas Clamens as its international managing director.

The United Kingdom Vineyards Association has announced the results of this year’s English & Welsh Wine of the Year competition.

Total alcohol sales continue to fall according to the latest Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) market report.

The Comité Champagne (the educational and promotional arm of The Champagne Houses & Growers’ Association) has launched its new official Champagne website: www.champagne.com.

McGuigan Wines’ senior winemaker Peter Hall is Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year.

The Chinese government has officially recognised Champagne as a protected geographical indication.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has announced that it has signed up its Wolf Blass brand as partners of Sky Sports broadcast of the next two Ashes cricket series between England and Australia.

India is to host a generic pavilion at the London International Wine Fair.

JF Hillebrand, leading logistics provider to the global beverage market, has clinched a five year worldwide freight services contract with Accolade Wines, the world’s fourth largest wine producer.

This Friday, May 17, is the fourth annual Sauvignon Blanc Day.

The 2013 South African wine grape harvest season exceeded the expectations, according to Vinpro a service organisation for 3,600 South African wine producers.

Neil McGuigan, recently voted the ‘World’s Best Winemaker (IWSC), wants the UK government to change the banding under which duty on wine is set.

Master of wine, Jancis Robinson, has been made a ‘Freeman of the City of London’ and an ‘honorary Freeman’ of the Worshipful Company of Vintners.

Chilean city and wine region,Valparaiso and the Casablanca valley have been voted into the Great Wine Capitals Global Network.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has announced two appointments to its EMEA senior management team.

Jacob’s Creek, the Pernod Ricard-owned Australian wine brand, has launched a wine specifically designed to complement Japanese cuisine.

Jacob’s Creek, the Pernod Ricard-owned Australian wine brand, has launched a wine specifically designed to complement Japanese cuisine.

The value of direct-to-consumer shipments from American wineries increased to $1.46 Billion in 2012, and was greater than the total value of US wine exports, according to the 2013 Direct Shipping Report released by Ship Compliant and Wines & Vines.

The generic body representing the famous Rioja win-producing region in north west Spain has announced that it is to spend  8 million Euros on promoting its wines this year.

The 2013 harvest in the Riverina region of Australia, at 300,000 tonnes, is just 8,000 short of the 308,000 2009 all time record, according to the Riverina Winemakers Association.

South African wine brand First Cape has launched in Ireland. 

Henri Krug, the former head of Champagne Krug, has died, it has been announced.

English Wine Producers, the generic body representing English wine producers, is to exhibit at Prowein for the first time.

Young professional Americans in the Millennial generation are taking a real interest in wine, according to a leading US wine producer.

The Comité Champagne, which represents Champagne producers, has announced that world exports are 3.4% up by value despite a 4 million drop is shipped bottles.

The Comite Champagne, the generic body for Champagne producers, has announced today (March 13) that the world exports have risen 3.4% by value, despite a 4 million drop in shipped bottles.

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board has announced that the total volume of Austria's 2012 wine vintage is 2,154,800 hectoliters, which is well below the long term average.

An English sparkling wine made by the wife and co-founder of Direct Wines*, the world's largest independent wine merchant, has been voted the best English sparkling wine.

Beringer, the official wine of the PGA golf tour, has extended the sponsorship to include the UK.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has announced two new trustees - Mentzendorff managing director Andrew Hawes and Jonathan Driver who, after leaving Diageo in 2006, has become a global consultant.

Anivin de France, the organisation responsible for promoting Vin de France, has announce that 88 wines have been selected to represent the category in 2013.

Maximilian J. Riedel is to become president of Riedel Crystal, from July 1.

There is increasing awareness and demand for low and lower-alcohol wines. Christian Davis checks on who’s doing what