Tag: Wine

In a few remote corners of China, a world away from Beijing's allegations of European wine dumping, makers of such lofty French brands as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Dom Perignon champagne are investing millions of dollars to produce vintages they hope will put Chinese wine on the world map.

Escalated tensions between the European Union and China over solar panel tariffs is not going to cause a trade war. These disputes are short-lived, even if they are expected to continue in the coming years, explains George Friedman.

The French have long had a reputation for drinking in moderation. However, a new report states that the reputation is misleading and attributes 49,000 premature deaths per year - or 134 every day - to alcohol-related diseases.

Grape growers are lining up support from EU national governments and the European Parliament to protect limits on vine planting that are due to expire by 2016, a liberalisation move they claim will destroy one of Europe’s premier industries.

A study by the European Pesticides Action Network (PAN) reveals that wines on sale in the EU may contain residues of up to 10 different pesticides potentially harmful to human health. But manufacturers argue that the quantities are so tiny that drinking wine poses no health risk.

After three days of negotiations, agriculture ministers have passed, on 19 December, a reform package for the EU's wine sector which waters down the major overhaul that Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel was planning. Following pressure form Italy and France, fewer vineyards will be scrapped and the surplus will contiune to be distilled into alcohol.