Winemaker

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 ‘oenotourisme’ growth and the impact on his business

How a French winemaker put the world’s 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

practical

Five French properties with working vineyards for sale from €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

‘Why this was my most challenging harvest as a winemaker in France’

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 ‘Foires aux Vins’

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 Ardèche 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

‘Never seen such damage’: 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

Anger as ‘Sud de France’ brand is banned from wine bottles

Critics say the decision is bureaucratic and shows the government lacks ambition when it comes to developing the wine industry

From California to free life making wine in the 'Kansas of France'

Running an organic vineyard was never on the cards for this American until she travelled to France and fell for a Frenchman

Tannins can make red wine undrinkable or delicious – what are they?

They can make your face pucker or add rich complexity – 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

‘My candid experiences of hiring grape pickers in France’

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 ‘vigneron’ 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 - Château, Chablis and chardonnay

We explain French winemaking terms like ‘négociants’ and ‘récoltant’ plus how to spot useful information rather than marketing spin

Bordeaux producer sentenced to prison for wine mixing and label fraud

Vincent Lataste’s 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 rosé produced in Var, France

The range includes a Côte-de-Provence rosé and a Cru Classé Côtes 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’s 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 €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’s 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’s royal court has been reborn again

A wine served only at France’s 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 rosé wine in France, plus taste trends to note

Jonathan Hesford on taste trends and the most ‘Instagrammable’ 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 rosé 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 rosé.

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 rosé from the Loire.

Coronavirus: How France's winemakers are coping

What does Covid-19 mean for France's independent winemakers? Jonathan Hesford reveals all.

Rosé crops lost due to freak spring frosts

Winemakers in Provence, where much of France’s rosé 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’s 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’t binge in France

Wine columnist Jonathan Hesford asks if France’s 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’s 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’ 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.

Santé! Here’s 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 rosé to Trump after tax threat

The French region of Provence has sent crates of local rosé 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 “reciprocal action” to France's taxation of global digital giants.

French vineyards ‘burned’ 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 “over 30 years”.

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’s 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

France remains on alert for snow and high winds

One department in France - the Haute-Loire - is on yellow alert for snowfall and ice, forecaster Météo France has said, as an avalanche risk and strong winds continue to affect the south-east.