Fine wine news

Chairman and chief executive of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, has been named as the most powerful person in fine wine and luxury spirits by The Drinks Business.

Its Luxury Power 50 placed the man who owns four Champagne houses (Krug, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart), as well as Chateau d'Yquem and Chateau Cheval Blanc, as one of the most influential men in the industry.

He is also the world's fourth and Europe's richest person, with a net worth of £26 billion in 2011, according to the news provider, as demand for fine wine increased in Asia over the past year.

However, other well-known faces also made the list. Named the fourth most powerful name in wine was the Rothschild family. This is perhaps unsurprising considering the strength of Lafite across the world, although most notably in China, where, The Drinks Business reported, an empty bottle can sell for £250 on the internet.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild has also led to the family's success in the fine wine market.

The news provider also noted the recent rise of Burgundy, placing the head of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Aubert de Villaine, at number five in the list. Just last month, an Acker, Merrall & Condit auction saw a jeroboam of 1999 Romanee-Conti sell for more than £47,000, suggesting that the domaine is one to watch this year.

Also included in the top ten of the power list are the people who fuel people's thirst for fine wine. Influential wine critic Robert Parker was placed at number six after his 'Magical 20' led to a spike in trading of Bordeaux's 2009 vintage.

Other notable names in the top ten included Sylivie Cazes, director of the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux, co-owner of Château Lynch-Bage and director of Château Pichon Lalande, and wine consultant Michel Rolland.

Posted by Helen Jenkins