A historic ruling from French Labour Ministry has forbidden drinking wine at the work place. An age old custom in French working life allowed consumption of wine at the work place. The now defunct “Work Code” stipulated the employers could not ban beer, cider and wine from workplace canteens and social drinking in office. Other beverages such as spirits were able to be forbidden under the code, while drivers, medical staff and machine operators have always been banned from drinking at all while on duty. Now the French labour ministry ruling threatens to cut all French employees from this long-held tradition leaving it to employers to judge whether wine or other beverages can be consumed at the work place.

The world of wine knows that Kurniawan was convicted at a trial last December. Now a week to go for sentence. Hardy Rodenstock a German was also involved but appears to be beyond the reach of US justice while Kurniawan’s lawyers maintain that his fraud was a “victimless crime”.

It is now pretty general news that tradition was set aside for the naming of HMS Queen Elizabeth with Scotch Whisky and not Champagne.

It was the Queen who decided to break a bottle of Scotch Whisky on the bow of the 65,000 ton ship instead of the traditional Champagne. The ship was built in Scotland so only correct that a bottle of Scotch Whisky should be used. The Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers was invited to arrange for such a bottle and Liveryman Continue reading

Almost exactly a year of the death of his father, Peter Lehmann, Doug Lehmann has died. Doug took over as Chairman of Peter Lehmann Wines after the death of his father. He is thought to have suffered a heart attack.

Damage reported of over 40 % over a wide spread of Burgundian vineyards in Santenay, Pommard, Volnay and Meursault have reduced high hopes that this year after a warm start to the year and the need of a larger crop after hail damage in 2012 and 2013. Damage is still being assessed.