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Wine News |
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Dubai airport breaks duty-free wine sale record
A fine wine store at Dubai Airport is claiming a world record after a customer spent a total of US$107,000 on eight bottles of wine. The customer made the purchase on one visit to Le Clos fine wine and luxury spirits boutique in Dubai International Airport. The splurge included bottles of 1947 and 1961 Château Pétrus, as well as a magnum of the 1959 vintage. The shop said the record was a sign that demand for high-end wines was growing again nearly two years after the beginning of the global economic downturn.
'Perfect' auction lot to be offered at US wine festival
The Naples (Florida) Winter Wine Festival will offer an unprecedented auction lot of 100 bottles of 100-point wines at its annual event in January. Among the wines in the 'Perfection Lot' are a 1955 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion, a 1989 Chateau Petrus, and a 1985 Domaine Romanee-Conti valued at more than $11,000. The wines were rated by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and U.S. magazine Wine Spectator.
New Alsace chief calls for sweetness code on labels
Sweetness codes could be a feature of every bottle of Alsace wine if the new president of the Alsace trade council has his way. According to him, the labelling system for the region is 'incomplete' at present, and that he plans to introduce a code to indicate a wine's sweetness on a one-to-five scale. Once this is established, he will invite producers to use the terms sec, demi-sec, moelleux and liquoreux on their labels, too.
Dassault family makes approach for Raynaud's Pomerol estates
Aviation millionaire Laurent Dassault, owner of Chateau Dassault and Chateau Lafleur, has made an approach to purchase both Chateau La Croix de Gay and La Fleur de Gay from Dr Alain Raynaud. The sale of these two family estates, both located in Pomerol, would mean Raynaud, president of the Circle de Rive Droite and a close friend of Robert Parker, would no longer own any Bordeaux wine estates. Alain Raynaud told decanter.com: 'I have not yet made any decisions, and will do so by the end of the year. It is not always easy to work both properties between just the two of us, but these are family estates and we will take the necessary time to reflect.'
Champagne best served like beer, say French
French scientists have discovered the secret to keeping the fizz in a glass of Champagne: pour it like a beer. A new study reports the best way to pour Champagne is in a 'beer-like way' with the glass held at an angle. t reveals the sparkling wine remains bubbly longer when poured in this way rather than pouring straight into the glass and waiting for the mousse to settle before topping up. However, Tom Stevenson, chairman of the Decanter World Wine Awards' Champagne panel, said: 'Pouring Champagne like a lager is a seen as a really naff way to serve it. You would not see a sommelier doing it in a million years.'
'Fake Chardonnay' director convicted
An Australian wine company has been fined more than A$350,000 (£200,000) for selling Chardonnay juice adulterated with Sultana grapes. In one of the largest wine scams in Australia's history, the former boss of Rivers Wine, Andrew Hashin, was convicted of selling Sultana juice to major wine companies including Hardy's and Orlando, and claiming it was Chardonnay. The company, which is now in liquidation, has now been fined more than $300,000 and Hashim has been ordered to pay $51,000 plus £58,00 in costs.
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