Leonardslee's South African winemaker wanted to be ready for "the next big thing in the world of wine" by focusing on Sussex terroir. Leonardslee Family Vineyards has released its first wines, with three wines from the 2020 and 2021 vintages. The Brut Reserve, Blanc de Blancs and Brut Rosé are the first wide releases from the vineyards, planted...

Brian Kinsman, the sixth malt master of the 125-year-old Glenfiddich, breaks down his latest series that reaches beyond the whisky trade. In January 1997, Brian Kinsman gave up his PhD in dental materials to pursue a career in the world of casks and stills at William Grant & Sons, the parent company of world-renowned single malt Scotch...

New certification rules on organic wine sold in the US that have recently come into effect could cause "widespread harm to the organic wine and spirits industry", the industry has warned.  The new rules, which came into force last month (19 September) after a six month grace period, state than wine importers selling organic in the US must...

House of Suntory has released Hibiki 40 Years Old, the oldest blended whisky ever released by the Japanese whisky maker, with a recommended retail price of £33,150. Japanese multinational Suntory has announced the release of its latest whisky. The product is a blend of liquids from all three of Suntory's distilleries in Japan — Yamazaki,...

Central Coast-based Californian group WarRoom Cellars has acquired the Parducci, Paul Dolan and True Grit brands from Mendocino Wine Company (MWC) for an undisclosed sum. “Our strategy is to acquire wine brands and do a deep dive on the brand to understand what customers really love about it. Then we focus on and develop what customers really...

This year sees the second release of a new Napa icon – Cathiard Vineyard – a historic vineyard acquired by the owners of Bordeaux’s Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in 2020. Arabella Mileham talks to Florence Cathiard and Bordeaux winemaker Florien Teitgen about their plans in Napa.  Buying a vineyard thousands of miles across the Atlantic just...