The Winery Francois Rambeaud of Montagne-Saint-Émilion of Bordeaux

Australian wine exports dropped by 19% to A$2.08bn in the year to 30 June, said trade body Wine Australia this week. While exports to some countries rose, notably the US, the group’s report for the 2021-22 financial year offered fresh insight into a slide in shipments to China. Mainland China imposed varying import tariffs ranging from 116% to more than 200% on Australian bottled wines from late 2020 onwards. Exports to China, including Hong Kong and Macau, dropped by 74% in the 12 months to 30 ...

An electronic dart was tossed at us recently by Decanter reader Tim Frances from Kent. It landed on the screen of our magazine editor Amy Wislocki; Amy lobbed it across the virtual room to me, suggesting a column-length reply. ‘Here’s a poser,’ Tim began. ‘How do your experts grade a wine that they find intellectually well made, but that they truly madly deeply dislike? I’ve tasted wines I can admire dispassionately, but would stab my feet with forks rather than drink them. Must be a conundrum f ...

Château Climens owner Lurton has sold a majority stake in the prestigious, Barsac-based estate to Jean-Hubert Moitry and his family, via the family’s Patrimonia Développement group, it was announced this week. It marks the Moitry family’s first investment in the wine sector, and represents a major deal in the Bordeaux wine world. Financial details weren’t disclosed. Nicknamed ‘Lord of Barsac’, Climens is one of the Premier Grand Cru Classé estates of Sauternes and Barsac listed in Bordeaux ...