During the summer there was a wine fair in Bordeaux that attracted over 40,000, plus 1,250 journalists from 54 countries – a truly international affair. The fair was organised by VINEXPO and at the closing addresses, M.Beynat, the CEO of VINEXPO said, "the internet will never be anything other than a marginal circuit for sales…it is not the right medium for sales of wines and spirits, it is not a real alternative to traditional sales circuits and will never reach more than around 8% of the market."

We suppose the wine merchants attending the fair wanted to hear such reassuring words regarding their traditional retail methods.  But, it is a very bold claim and one that we feel many online wine suppliers in the UK might not agree with?

It's a bit like saying, "Mr Bell, that telephone gadget will never catch on, nobody's got one, anyway!"  Do you think the Internet will see wine sales rise or not – visit our Blog on the main Vino Club website and give us your opinion – click here.

Researchers have found that a certain substance in red wine, 'resveratrol' has numerous health benefits on offer for drinkers.

Lindsay Brown, an associate professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland, Australia, has made the claims in a recent study. "The breadth of benefits is remarkable; cancer prevention, protection of the heart and brain from damage, reducing age-related diseases such as inflamation, reversing diabetes and obesity, and many more" states Brown.

Looks like red wine is a total panacea cure-all!  Read our 'Reasons to Enjoy Wine' for a more balanced view, in the main Features section of the new look Vino Club website – click here.

Japanese wine connoisseurs have enjoyed imported wine for years, but some are now choosing wine made in their own country.

Suntory Holdings Ltd., a major producer of whisky, beer and soft drinks, is trying to upgrade the quality of its wines this year on the 100th anniversary of its winery in Yamanashi Prefecture.

The company said it is developing wines by strengthening technical exchanges on grape cultivation and fermentation with a French winery in Bordeaux. Hokkaido Wine based in Otaru is also making wine using grapes grown on its own land or grown by farmers under contract.

When it comes to making wine, Japan is a late comer - but they are coming on strong!

There's no universal wine-label organization style. Every country — and sometimes areas within a country — has different rules, regulations, and customs when it comes to labelling wine. Wines from the United States, Australia, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa usually list the grape variety on the label. French, Italian, and Spanish wines usually list the region, village, or vineyard where the wine was made, but not the grape. Typically you'll want to focus on these key pieces of information: the country and region in which the wine was produced, the grapes used, the producers, the shippers, the vintage year, and the quality level of the wine.

Details on the glossary of wine types can be found in the Information section of the Vino Club website – click here.  

Move over, cork, and make way for screw caps. Today, screw caps are replacing corks on more than just inexpensive bottles. Currently, screw caps seal 75 percent of Australian wines and 93 percent of New Zealand wines, and they're gaining popularity in all countries, particularly in the U.S. and even in France.

See our article on 'Corks and Corkscrews' in our Features section of the Vino Club – click here.