Hamish Smith is invited on a trip to Dubai that turns out to be bartender retreat in the UAE desert. The terrain wasn't the only changing landscape, he says.

Diablo, created by South American wine company Concha y Toro, has announced the arrival of two new wines to its portfolio.

Brown-Forman has announced an over £30m investment in The GlenDronach Distillery to increase production facilities at its homeplace in the Valley of Forgue in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 

Famously the hero country for Malbec, Argentina has so much more to give when it comes to wine, thanks to the pioneers who are capitalising on the climatic possibilities. Sorrel Moseley-Williams takes a journey through some of the latest trends in this vast and varied land.

Few drinks categories have seen as much start-up activity as alcohol-free spirits in recent times. Lyre’s chief executive Mark Livings concedes his brand was beaten to the market by the likes of Seedlip and others, but he’s convinced that rapid scaling, rather than being early to the game, holds the key to success.

Online retailer Wine Access has acquired Napa Valley merchant 750 Wines for an undisclosed fee.

Napa Valley Vintners (NVV), a non-profit trade association, has announced its new board of directors for 2012.

Boisset, La Famille des Grands Vins has purchased the Skalli winery and brands in the Languedoc and Rhône Valley. The financial details were not disclosed. 

English wines have come of age – Georg Riedel has chosen suitable stemware for their wines.

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) has announced that the ‘Napa Valley’ name has been granted Geographic Indication Status (GI) in India.

Chile: The Asociación de Viñas de Colchagua and the Colchagua Valley Wine Route have estimated a loss of 25 million litres of wine as a result of the earthquake.