Winery BoffaloraPinot Nero Brut

I started to write my thoughts on the vintage as the dust settled from the annual primeur’s week (or month in my case) and when my teeth and lips had finally lost their purple hue – an unsightly image I documented once on Instagram. This year more than 7,000 eager wine tasters were welcomed onto the red carpets of various historic châteaux buildings, past manicured gardens and into beautifully decorated tasting rooms to taste the new batch of baby wines before tucking into lavish spreads, often ...

The French photographer captured his subject resting against the side of the vat after completing the arduous task. ‘This beautifully lit and framed image encapsulates the dedication, the sheer physical hard work involved in making wine – no glamour here,’ said Caroline Kenyon, the founder of the awards ceremony. ‘There’s so much character in the subject’s face – weary but triumphant, she knows it’s a tough job well done.’ Gaudillère had already won the ‘People’ sub-category of the Errazuriz Win ...

The industry launched a certification programme called Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) back in 1995. It now covers 1,840 vineyards and 310 wineries. Growers can only achieve SWNZ certification by passing stringent tests within six key areas: water, waste, pest and disease control, soil, climate change and people. They must subject themselves to regular audits conducted by an independent company, which assesses the overall sustainability of their operations and verifies that they are m ...