New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has released the results of a strategic review of the nation’s grape and wine sector. The review was conducted for NZW over the past three months by consulting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). Commenting on the review, Stuart Smith, chair of NZW, said: “The Review is a comprehensive examination of the industry: how it has changed in recent years, the opportunities and challenges facing it, and the future role of New Zealand Winegrowers.”

Environmentally minded Nelson organic winery Richmond Plains has released its first wine in New Zealand’s lightest 750ml glass bottle. Weighing in at a mere 325 grams and at just over 1kg full of wine, it’s lighter than some other bottles empty, says owner Lars Jensen.

The wine world is already so masculine, making special efforts to underscore its machismo seems akin to gluing chest hair to Rambo.

Nevertheless, “manly” wines are the industry’s latest fling, in large part due to young men being part of the fastest growing wine consumption demographic today: millennials. The challenge, however, is getting them to permanently swap beer for Bordeaux.

Environmentally minded Nelson organic winery Richmond Plains has released its first wine in New Zealand’s lightest 750ml glass bottle. Weighing in at a mere 325 grams and at just over 1kg full of wine, it’s lighter than some other bottles empty, says owner Lars Jensen.

Exports of US wine for 2011 are expected to set a new record, according to the California-based Wine Institute.

US wine exports rose by 26% for the nine months to the end of September, to US$1bn, according to Wine Institute figures published at the end of last week. Export volumes rose by 7% on the same period of 2010.

A traveller has made a record purchase at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport when he spent nearly 50,000 euros (AUD$66,000) on six bottles of exclusive wine, the airport says. It consisted of a bottle of Romanee Conti 1995, a Chateau Margaux 2003, two bottles of Chateau Lafitte 1982 and two bottles of Petrus 1980.

As harvest finishes in the Pacific northwest, vintners are pondering a season of opposites. While 2011 has been the coldest harvest in living memory for Washington, Oregon had one of the longest growing seasons ever. Lower sugar levels were a given in both states, but while Washington’s yields were down, in Oregon – which saw more rain – yields were the highest on record.

The owner of Langhorne Creek export winemaker Step Rd Wines has gone into receivership with “several million” dollars owed to creditors, administrators say. Receivers PPB have put the 5000-tonne capacity winery on the market alongside several wine labels, including Step Rd, Beresford and Trig Point brands, bulk and bottled wine stock.

New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has released the results of a strategic review of the nation’s grape and wine sector. The review was conducted for NZW over the past three months by consulting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). Commenting on the review, Stuart Smith, chair of NZW, said: “The Review is a comprehensive examination of the industry: how it has changed in recent years, the opportunities and challenges facing it, and the future role of New Zealand Winegrowers.”

Christmas is one of the few times in the year when wine-drinkers think about sweet and fortified wines. It may be their unique warming qualities, or possibly we need something sweet to drink alongside all those sugary treats. But even then, both remain neglected in a world full of dry whites and fruity red wines, writes John Wilson in The Irish Times.