Three columns penned for Harpers Wine and Spirit Weekly have somehow managed to retain some of their currency and could be used as brief introductions to the main issues in international wine trade:
 

•  There's no point in whining (25 May 2001) deals with patterns in global exchanges. No new major shift to report here, only a continuation of the gentle drift from its Mediterranean cradle to the Pacific Basin.
   
• Geographical name calling (30 March 2001) illustrates the difficulties in finding truly fair solutions to disputes over intellectual property rights - conflicting geographical indications in this case. Click the WTO and WIPO links on the 'Free resources' page for more information on GIs.
   
• Maturing, stronger bodies (27 April 2001) talks about the infamous surplus issue and other key trade topics that are subject to rules negotiated in Geneva (at the WTO) and elsewhere: Subsidies, oenological practices and labelling.

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