The country overtakes Italy after two years in second place

France has reclaimed the title of the biggest wine producer in the world, after two years in second position behind Italy.

New figures from the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) put France's production in 2009 at an estimated 45.7 million hectolitres.

This is up 9% on last year's result but represents only 17% of all the wine produced in the world in 2009 compared with 25% at the start of the 1990s.Read more

Adam Houlding, managing director of online wine store, thepurveyor.com gives his thoughts on an alternative Christmas dinner.
 
Dry turkey matched with an overly heavy red wine. A slab of smoked salmon with a glass of Pinot Grigio and Christmas pudding with brandy is enough to send any wine connoisseur into a frenzy.

This year, why not make the celebrations a little bit more special by mixing traditional and contemporary food and wine. Make sure you use wine as a condiment to the food to enhance both the dish and let the dish enhance the wine
 
The traditional wine line-up generally includes a fizz before you get to the table, maybe a sherry for Grandma, a white wine with the fish starter, a red with the turkey and a dessert wine with Xmas pudding.
 
Well this year, I have decided to turn the traditional wine line-up on its head. The menu below starts with a dessert wine for the entrée  then fizz with the starter, a Lebanese red for main and finishes with a sherry!
 
Go on try something new, I am sure you will not only love it but make it a Christmas to truly remember.Read more

Prestigious wine competition chooses top wines perfect for cellaring

There has never been a better time for a long-term investment in fine wine - whether for drinking pleasure in the future or for financial gain.

But how do you choose wines for cellaring? Help is at hand with the 2009 Octavian Vaults Library Collection (OVLC) from the International Wine Challenge (IWC).

The competition has announced its results of wines that will perfectly age in the right cellaring conditions.

Focusing on the best wines five and ten years old, the 2009 OVLC reviewed 1999 and 2004 vintages. 116 wines from 11 countries were judged.Read more

Travellers shun Europe in favour of North American vineyards

Travel website, TripAdvisor, has seen a 10% rise in searches for "vineyards" over the past six weeks to November 2009, compared to a year ago.

But surprisingly, the vineyard searches have been for North America and not the European destinations normally associated with fine wine.

In response, editors at TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com) have compiled a list of North America’s top 10 wine destinations and not surprisingly Napa Valley in California has come in at number one.Read more