The first growths of Bordeaux used to be off limits to most wine lovers. Now Prince Robert of Luxembourg, owner of Haut-Brion et al, is leading a charge to make the region's riches more accessible

When you’ve made your mark in Burgundy, where to next? Not many winemakers head east to Jura, but François Duvivier of Domaine du Pélican has done just that – and is showing the potential of this in-vogue region

They were once something no self-respecting bon viveur would be seen anywhere near, but “low and no” drinks are now a valid option for those seeking an abstemious month

Finishing a spirit in a wine, sherry or port cask is becoming ever more sophisticated, with distillers searching out barrels from specific wine producers. But can you really tell the difference between whisky or gin finished in a barrel that previously held Corton grand cru rather than basic Bourgogne Rouge?

Photographer Patrick Desgraupes has transformed humdrum scenes of wine's fermentation into otherworldly images – part celestial constellations, part Christmas baubles. As we present a selection of shots taken at some of France's most revered estates, he tells us how he did it

Change comes slowly in this part of France. But now a generation of progressive Cognac cellar masters is challenging convention in this most conservative of regions – by revisiting its roots

Commentators have long debated the concept of winemaking as art. it may well be valid, argues Harry Eyres, but in the context of the winery, the greatest art form is minimalism

In her round-up of the best Champagne launches from the second half of the year, Essi Avellan MW picks out friends old and new

Looking for a gift for a wine- or whisky-loving friend? Or just some bibulous festive reading? Look no further than our pick of the drinks books of the year

At the Bordeaux second growth, owner Bruno Borie is as at home in the kitchen as he is among the vines