China, corruption, fine wine and other food and drink news

Quenching China’s Wine Market - The Chinese government helped unleash a thirst for fine wine, until a clampdown on corruption bottled up demand.
Battle of the sparkling wines: Champagne vs Prosecco - Prosecco has gained tremendous ground, as sales grew 36% over the year, while Champagne sales grew just 8%.

Despite the prosecco sales gains, however, Champagne still accounts for 20% of sparkling wine sales in the U.S. The Italian offering accounts for 14% of sales.

Rare steaks 'could put diners at risk of superbugs' - The head of a major Government review warns that consumers could contract superbugs from eating rare and undercooked meats, because of the rise of antibiotic use among animals

Review on antimicrobial resistance - Drug-resistant infections could kill an extra 10 million people across the world every year by 2050 if they are not tackled. By this date they could also cost the world around $100 trillion in lost output: more than the size of the current world economy, and roughly equivalent to the world losing the output of the UK economy every year, for 35 years. ... an overview of the use of antibiotics in animals and agriculture, and the role that manufacturing and use of antimicrobials play in bringing these into the wider environment ... calls for three interventions: First, a global target needs to be set to reduce use of antibiotics in food production and that we should reassess which antibiotics should be used in both animals and humans. Second, it recommends that there be minimum standards set to limit the release of active pharmaceutical ingredients during the manufacturing process. Finally, it proposes that there be improved surveillance to monitor the situation with respect to both these issues and to help to inform global standards and targets.

Small Kitchens, by Choice - The microkitchen, stocked with expensive blenders, elaborate coffee makers and professional-quality knives, suits digital workers who eat free at work or take their meals in homey but globally influenced restaurants in their apartment buildings.