An adult slurpee from Croft port, Italy becomes world's biggest wine producer and other food and drink news

Not your grandfather's port: will fortified wine ever enjoy a revival? Across the US, tawny port struggles to make inroads with millennial revelers. Is it doomed to the periphery of cocktail culture, or can port brands make it cool?

Not long after it came out, mixologists at bars around the country started to experiment with the rosé port, creating concoctions like a Chilli Pink and a Croft Flip and the somewhat unfortunately named CaiPiPink.
“The younger generation are drinking port, but not in necessarily the same way as our traditional consumer,” said Forbes.
That would seem to be an understatement. A restaurant in Houston called Little Bigs has taken a very American angle and poured Croft Pink into a slushie machine and made a grownup Slurpee. (Bridge generously referred to it as “an adult sorbet”.)

Italy beats France to become world largest wine producer - Italy's projected wine production is up 13% on the previous year and 5% on the average for the past five years, for a total output of 48.8 million hectolitres, figures submitted by member states to the EU Commission in mid-September show. Lack of rain and a heatwave have instead caused a 1% contraction of French production, which relegated the country at the second place with 46.4 million hectolitres. The world-famous regions of Beaujolais and Bourgogne were among the worst affected and wine lovers with a taste for local bottles could face a price rise in the coming months, according to Les Eechos newspaper.

The 18 insiders' wines that showcase Oz - When leading wine experts came to taste the best drops Australia has to offer, the menu was an insider's list of 18 awesome labels with not a Grange in sight. ... Grange ... left off the list because the visitors - from the UK, US, Europe, Asia and New Zealand - have tried it plenty of time. ... The list was divided into premium sparklings, definitive "pioneers" and "distinctively Australian fine wine today".

WHAT WAS ON THE LIST
SPARKLING:
- Dal Zotto L'Immigrante Prosecco 2014 (King Valley)
- Luke Lambert Sparkling Chardonnay 2012 (Yarra Valley)
- Courabyra 503 Sparkling 2002 (Tumbarumba)
- House of Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged Sparkling 2002 (Tasmania)
PIONEERS
- Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2012 (Margaret River)
- Bannockburn Serre Pinot Noir 2012 (Geelong)
- Best's Thomson Family Great Western Shiraz 2010 (Great Western)
- Brothers in Arms Metala Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Langhorne Creek)
- Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth 2010 (Coonawarra)
- Wendouree Shiraz Mataro 2002 (Clare Valley)
- Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2009 (Canberra District)
DISTINCTIVELY AUSTRALIAN FINE WINE TODAY
- Crawford River Reserve Riesling 2004 (Henty)
- Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner 2015 (Canberra District)
- Andevine Wines Reserve Semillon 2014 (Hunter Valley)
- Mayer Dr Mayer Pinot Noir 2014 (Yarra Valley)
- Castagna Genesis Syrah 2012 (Beechworth)
- Woodlands Alex Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Margaret River)
- Ruggabellus ARCHAEUS 2014 (Barossa Valley)