DAN'S WINE BLOG -EURO NEWS

Friday, November 18, 2022

?This week is about a bit of new out of Europe – I hope you find it interesting.

?HONESTY IN EUROPE??A recent article in The Times it was advised that between 2013 and 2019 a fraudulent scheme had around five million bottles of Spanish wine labelled and sold as Bordeaux appellate wine. The scheme started when Cellier Vinicole du Blayais found that due to a bad season they did not have enough wine to meet the demand from its customers. What started out as a short-term, stop-gap measure aimed at ensuring they did not lose regular customers, morphed into a very lucrative money spinner over the years – until they were caught!

This comes a mere six months after grupo Reserva de la Tierra from Spain’s Catalan region were accused of having passed off cheap wine as fine wine from various D.O. (Denominación de Origen) around Spain. It is estimated that during 2019-2021 they made around €14 million a year from these fake wines.

?That is some serious money and some serious fraud!!!

Article Link:?https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spanish-wine-sold-french-fraud-allegations-w3vj6n8mj

UK:?With the impending/looming power shortages/unaffordability this upcoming winter in the UK, an enterprising pub in Northamptonshire is conducting special four course, candlelit, wine dinners, one night a week for its patrons.

This could be a portend of things to come over this bleak and gloomy winter. Might pay to invest in UK candlemakers!!

NON-ALCO-POP PRINCESS:?Following on from the wildly successful launch of the Kylie Minogue wine range, which is estimated to currently be valued at a smidge under ￡19 million, she has just announced the release of the Kylie Minogue Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé – she said: “It is Produced from selected ingredients of the highest quality including premium European grapes and high altitude, hand-picked, organic tea from the Yunnan province in China, our Kylie Minogue Wines Zero Sparkling Rosé is an innovative beverage which combines complexity, a fine balance and dry finish, to appeal to any Sparkling Rosé drinkers looking for a delightfully clean, textured product, minus the alcohol.”?

She then went on to say:?“I am unbelievably humbled and thrilled by the global response to Kylie Minogue Wines. To be the number one Rosé brand in the UK and selling over five million bottles since we launched in ten countries, is an incredible testimony to the amazing producers and winemakers that we are lucky enough to work alongside. I have been so touched by the joy that Kylie Minogue Wines continue to bring to so many people throughout the world – enjoy!”

?Only two of her eight wines come from Australia – the Margaret River Chardonnay and the Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. The rest, other than the Prosecco Rosé (Italy), come from France.

?Another Australian success story!!!!!!!!!!

?Well, after all that cheery news I’ll wish you a great week. Stay safe, #chooseaustralianwine and when possible drink #emergingvarieties.?Cheers, Dan T.