The European Union is refusing Japan’s request in free-trade talks to allow the import of Japanese wine in bottles smaller than those commonly used in Europe, sources close to the matter said Friday. Japan is asking the European Union to accept 720 ml bottles, which Japanese wineries typically use. But the European Union maintains such bottles would allow Japanese sellers to undercut prices, and demands Japanese wines be exported in 750 ml bottles widely used in Europe and other major markets.

Police are urging heavy machinery drivers and the motoring public to follow the road rules and avoid grape spills this harvest. Senior constable Paul McKenzie, of the South Island Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit, said last year there was a significant reduction in the number of spills. Speaking at the Wine Marlborough pre-harvest information day, on Thursday, McKenzie said this might have been because of a smaller harvest.

A large Australian company is putting its Auckland winery and vineyard on the market, just days after announcing its boss is getting a $500,000 pay boost. Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is selling its land and buildings at its Matua winery, as well as its vineyard, as it moves forward with plans to move all production to Marlborough.

From cork tragics to screwcap converts, when it comes to wine bottle closures, the jury is still out on the ideal seal. Despite living in an era of breathtaking technological and scientific advancement, drinkers often face a dilemma when opening a bottle of wine. For all the sweat and tears of the vigneron, there is no foolproof closure to guarantee the wine’s preservation. In 1969 we put men on the moon, so why are wine stoppers an ongoing concern in 2015?

With the release of GR9, a 96 point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Dan Murphy’s has told TheShout that the variety and its cleanskin range are still very popular. The GR9 is part of the Dan Murphy’s cleanskin range and Peter Nixon, the head of Dan Murphy’s wine panel said that the chance to stock this wine, which is produced by one of Marlborough’s most highly regarded winemakers, was too good to miss. He also said an increase in global demand could put pressure on prices in Australia.

Victorian wine producers have received a massive boost in export sales thanks to a well-known Chinese comedian. Guo Degang is a major celebrity in China. He owns a string of comedy clubs and has more than 64 million followers on social media site Weibo. He was also named by Forbes China as one of the 100 richest celebrities in the country. Now Guo is going to use that influence to get into the wine business.

Over the weekend, Penfolds has been recognised as the ‘world’s most admired wine brand’ by Drinks International in their annual poll, following a successful year of honours. Almost 200 international industry experts including buyers, sommeliers, wine writers, Masters of Wine, industry experts and wine critics took part in the poll which pits wine brands from all global regions, styles and qualities against each other. Peter Gago, Penfolds chief winemaker, said the team at Penfolds were “chuffed” with the global recognition.

Nugan Estate has announced the appointment of John Freeman as chief executive officer as the company looks to the future with a five year plan. Since its expansion into the wine industry in 2001, the Nugan family has grown to be one of Australia’s top exporters and plan to spend the next five years investing their brands nationally and around the world with the help of Freedman.

There’s an elephant in the room when it comes to most consumer research in the wine industry, and here it is: massive amounts of data are generated, by-products of smart technologies like mobile apps and CRMs (Customer Relationship Management systems), but go untapped and un-analyzed in favour of more traditional methods of research like surveys and polls.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is set to release the 821 South Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc exclusively to the on premise mid-March, 2016. Named after a vast mountain range in the Southern Alps of Marlborough, 821 South is a crisp wine that is ripe with citrus and tropical fruits. “It’s no secret that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a must have varietal on premise, accounting for one in every five glasses sold,” Angus McPherson, TWE’s Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand.