Well it makes sense that a very expensive beverage with high show-off value and a celebratory edge might not fare well in a downturn. The most recent sales figures are pretty sobering for Champagne producers.

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In the States, fine wine sales were holding up as recently as September. But new reports indicate the consumer spending cutbacks are now hitting wine sales. New figures suggest Canada's heading the same way.

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"Fair trade" coffee and a range of other products made in developing countries have been marketed here for a while, but in the UK, wine producers in Argentina, Chile and South Africa are also under scrutiny.

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As the quality of Chilean wines continues to improve and vineyards are being planted at higher altitudes and on the cooler coast, a plan to change the appellation structure is moving forward.

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Well, sort of. Fine wine swindler Hardy Rodenstock, who's been in the crosshairs of some angry rich folk over fraudulent wine for some time now, has been nailed over glue on labels... 

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It's a subject that generates a large amount of frothing rage from a small number of indignant customers - restaurant wine mark-ups. In some cases, it can be as high as 400%. Ouch!

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There's pretty clear evidence that the States has slipped into recession, yet US wine sales remained strong right through the summer. That looks like it's changing now...

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Seems like the New World chardonnay is getting back to what it used to be like: more Old World. Could it be that Cali is taking a turn for the elegant?

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