Myths and facts about France's winemaking terroir Expert vigneron shares the truth about how soil and locale affect wines
How much does a wine estate in France cost? Winemaker Jonathan Hesford provides an inside look at the many hidden costs awaiting prospective owners
The pros, cons and subsidies of wine tourism in France Winemaker Jonathan Hesford reflects on 鈥榦enotourisme鈥� growth and the impact on his business
news How a French winemaker put the world鈥檚 biggest wine fraudster in jail I realised what was happening when I saw our wine on an auction list with a vintage 20 years before we started making it, said Laurent Ponsot
Five French properties with working vineyards for sale from 鈧�575,000 We look at picturesque winemaking homes for investment opportunities or for a new livelihood
What does a winemaker in France actually do all day? Vigneron Jonathan Hesford explains what happens behind the cellar door and the daily decisions involved in making wine
French vineyards are being paid to tear up their vines 10% of Bordelais vines are set to be uprooted to help fight mildew and overproduction
鈥榃hy this was my most challenging harvest as a winemaker in France鈥� Vigneron Jonathan Hesford gives us a behind-the-scenes account of drought, hail and unreliable pickers in his mission to make wine in the Roussillon
Grape picking begins in Champagne amid growing shortage of workers Vignerons are turning to workers from abroad due to a lack of local pickers
French supermarkets prepare to launch traditional 鈥楩oires aux Vins鈥� The annual event sees many wines on offer at lower-than-normal prices but the involvement of supermarkets in wine sales is still considered controversial by some
French winemakers harvest grapes by night to escape heatwave Vignerons have had to work through the night to stop grapes from spoiling
Winemaker accused of selling 1.8 million bottles of fake champagne Carbonated gas was added to wine from Spain and the Ard猫che and sold as champagne in supermarkets, claim a former and a current employee
Winemakers face new problems each year due to climate change in France Vigneron Jonathan Hesford explains the unprecedented impact of extreme weather on his work in the vineyard
鈥楴ever seen such damage鈥�: Mildew hits vines in French wine region The damaged vines could cause a drop in the amount of Bordeaux wine produced this year, with a likely knock-on effect on prices
鈥楽tark health warnings on every wine bottle in France is absurd鈥� Winemaker Jonathan Hesford examines the impact of health labelling on small wine producers and the Mediterranean diet
French vineyard yields: it鈥檚 quality versus quantity Vigneron Jonathan Hesford looks at why regulating grapes on a bunch is so crucial for French wine producers
Tannins can make red wine undrinkable or delicious 鈥� what are they? They can make your face pucker or add rich complexity 鈥� winemaker Jonathan Hesford explains their importance
Here's how to save money on good French wine Supermarkets offer a vast range of wine but more savings can be made by cutting out the middleperson
鈥楳y candid experiences of hiring grape pickers in France鈥� Vigneron Jonathan Hesford shares surprising stories of slackers, spliffs and gendarmes at his vineyard harvest
French vineyard offers free wine to noisy campers to keep boars away A desperate winemaker is letting loud partygoers stay on his land for free in a bid to stop the animals damaging his vines
Grape harvest begins earlier than ever in south France due to heat One producer says he always begin harvesting early, partly because of the location of his plot, but that climate change is also having an impact
French vineyard dream - equipment needed to turn your grapes into wine Wine grower and producer Jonathan Hesford looks at the kit and costs involved for a new 鈥榲igneron鈥� and it might be more than you think
Price of wine set to rise in France due to shortage of bottles Lingering effects of Covid and the war in Ukraine have pushed up the price of glass by 20% in a year
What you need to know before producing your own wine in France Producing the grape-based beverage is a dream for many people. We look at the minimum requirements of managing a vineyard and why it is doable, but not easy
Record cold spell: France fears crop damage, but spring to return Winemakers fear that record-breaking freezing temperatures over the weekend may have caused damage to vines
How to read French wine labels - Ch芒teau, Chablis and chardonnay We explain French winemaking terms like 鈥榥茅gociants鈥� and 鈥榬茅coltant鈥� plus how to spot useful information rather than marketing spin
Bordeaux producer sentenced to prison for wine mixing and label fraud Vincent Lataste鈥檚 company was also found to have watered down bottles and sold wine with labels showing the wrong year
Beaujolais Nouveau turns 70 with less banana and more cherry flavours The wine is likely to taste more of red fruits due to a change in the fermentation process
Bad weather means wine production down in France by a quarter It means the country is relegated to third place globally, behind Spain and Italy, as experts warn of a bad year for 2021 overall
Kylie Minogue launches top-of-the-range ros茅 produced in Var, France The range includes a C么te-de-Provence ros茅 and a Cru Class茅 C么tes de Provence
When is the right time for grape picking in France? One of the most stressful and difficult decisions a vigneron or winemaker has to make is when is the right time to harvest their grapes, writes winemaker Jonathan Hesford
Worst wine harvest for 45 years predicted due to bad weather The grape yield will be down by 24%-30%, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, but this will not necessarily lead to a rise in wine prices
What makes the perfect French wine fair? 'Wine fairs are the perfect opportunity to discover local wines that are not in the supermarkets or taste and buy wines direct from producers from outside your region'
French winemaker creates red wine sorbet for summer The sorbet is 5.8% ABV and was made with a local artisan chocolatier-ice cream maker
From a French vineyard: The vigneron鈥檚 war against Jack Frost Vigneron and winemaker Jonathan Hesford explains the measures taken to prevent lethal frost damage to vines in France
French winemakers use fire and tea to protect vines amid record cold Record low temperatures in the north, centre and east of France are set to continue until at least this weekend, prompting producers to take drastic action
French winemakers want priority on Covid vaccination list Vintners trade body says the virus can have a life-changing effect on those in the industry as work depends on their senses
French winemakers celebrate EU-US tariff agreement The two sides have agreed to a four-month suspension of tariffs imposed due to the long-running Airbus-Boeing dispute, which cost French winemakers 鈧�500 million in 2020
French winemaker launches humorous 'Covid test' vintage Take a sip. If you can taste it and smell it, you test negative for Covid
How a vigneron tackles vine disease in France Jonathan Hesford on the vigneron鈥檚 ongoing battle to protect vines from different diseases
Winegrowers in France call for support despite good harvest Professional winegrowers in the south of France are calling for industry support, faced with challenges linked to Covid, Brexit, and beyond - despite 2020 being hailed as a great harvest year.
How the wine of France鈥檚 royal court has been reborn again A wine served only at France鈥檚 royal court until the Revolution has been saved from extinction for a second time, and the grape is being grown once again.
200-years of Australian-French winemaking cooperation Today, French consumers may be indifferent to Australian wine but there is a 200-year history of winemaking cooperation between the two countries, as Michael Delahaye explains.
Zero-waste winemaking technique means more flavour and taste How one French researcher's innovative method is using fermentation to unlock flavours normally hidden in the pulp left over from winemaking.
Foire aux Vins: Extra discounts on French wine due to Covid The autumn wine fair lasts seven weeks in September and October. Heavy discounts are expected this year as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
The rise of ros茅 wine in France, plus taste trends to note Jonathan Hesford on taste trends and the most 鈥業nstagrammable鈥� of French tipples.
Are hand-picked grapes the hallmark of a true quality wine? Human vs machine: Jonathan Hesford gives a vigneron view of the pros and cons of hand-picking grapes.
French vines ready early amid Covid and climate challenges Vines in France are ready a month earlier than normal, with the harvesting date breaking the 2003 record for the year, due to a particularly warm spring - but climate change and Covid are still presenting some issues.
Wine not? New canned ros茅 breaks French drinking taboo Cans of beer are 10 a penny, and you can buy cider and even G&T in ring-pulls, but a wine giant has broken a taboo by selling canned ros茅.
Wine tasting: should we value enthusiasm over expertise? Why we should appreciate the knowledge of enthusiasts and debunk tasteless wine snobbery.
Environmental news in France: July In this month's round up of the environmental news making headlines in France, we talk air quality, beekeeping, and the new must-buy eco-friendly ros茅 from the Loire.
Coronavirus: How France's winemakers are coping What does Covid-19 mean for France's independent winemakers? Jonathan Hesford reveals all.
Ros茅 crops lost due to freak spring frosts Winemakers in Provence, where much of France鈥檚 ros茅 is produced, could lose up to half their harvest after an exceptional pre-dawn frost in late March.
Fine French wine auctioned to help Covid-19 care staff High-end fine French wines are being sold at auction to raise money in support of healthcare staff working on the frontline against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The French vineyard: get the best from your bottle Let wine breathe easy for fuller flavour: Jonathan Hesfordon why decanting is vital for getting the best from your bottle
Trump wine taxes threaten 100,000 jobs in France At least 100,000 jobs in France could be at risk as the 25% import taxes imposed on French wine by US President Donald Trump continue to affect the industry, wine industry experts have said.
Hauts-de-France鈥檚 charbonnay wine from a slagheap A new white wine made from grapes grown on the side of a coalmine slag heap in the north of France has gone on sale.
Why people booze but don鈥檛 binge in France Wine columnist Jonathan Hesford asks if France鈥檚 drinking habits are in good health
Why French drinkers are turning to bio wines French wine drinkers are increasingly turning to bio (organic) wines after years of snubbing them as being good for the planet but bad to drink.
France to become leading consumer of organic wine France is set to become the world鈥檚 leading consumer of organic wine by 2021, having doubled its consumption since 2013, a new study suggests.
A year in a French vineyard: October 2019 How to be a savvy French wine buyer? Jonathan Hesford explores how the French drinker keeps abreast of the wine scene
Winegrowers鈥� free help saves flooded French vineyard A vineyard destroyed by floods has been brought back to life thanks to around 100 fellow winegrowers and the public who gave money and help for free.
Sant茅! Here鈥檚 to Ile wines Wines from the historic Ile-de-France territory, which is larger than the existing regional boundaries, are to go on sale from next year after a 20-year battle for recognition.
A year in a French vineyard: September 2019 The craft and skill of the wine blender - Jonathan Hesford explores the theory and practice of blending different varieties
Provence sends French ros茅 to Trump after tax threat The French region of Provence has sent crates of local ros茅 wine to American President Donald Trump, after the latter threatened to increase import taxes on French wine to the USA.
French Beaujolais vines destroyed by severe hailstorms Entire crops of Beaujolais vines in eastern France have been severely damaged by violent hailstorms with hailstones bigger than ping pong balls.
France responds to Trump threat on French wine tax France has responded to an apparent threat by US President Donald Trump to impose extra taxes on French wine imports as a 鈥渞eciprocal action鈥� to France's taxation of global digital giants.
French vineyards 鈥榖urned鈥� in intense heatwave damage Vineyards in the south of France have been damaged in the scorching heatwave this week, with local winemakers saying they have not seen such burns in 鈥渙ver 30 years鈥�.
A year in a French vineyard: June 2019 It takes bottle to prepare wine for sale - Jonathan Hesford on the demands and important processes of a wine鈥檚 bottling
Westeros wine is a win-win for French vineyard Cashing in on the Games of Thrones TV series has landed a Gironde vineyard a slap on the wrist and free publicity.
A year in a French vineyard: May 2019 Hop to it! Can a vigneron make beer? Jonathan Hesford swaps grapes for grain as he tried his hand at home-brewing
A year in a French vineyard: April 2019 Keep or quaff... why do we age wine? Jonathan Hesford considers the tricky task of buying wines to lay down or drink
A year in a French vineyard: March 2019 Jonathan Hesford wonders if French vignerons are missing a New World trick
French organic winemaker granted 2,000-bottle reprieve A winemaker in Indre-et-Loire, who had previously been ordered to destroy more than 2,000 bottles of organic wine, has been granted a temporary reprieve pending further investigation on the legality of the demand.
French winemakers' extreme measures to protect crops Helicopters and fire used to protect delicate buds from early May frosts
