Magpie

In a deal between the Uffizi and Italy’s culture and agriculture ministries, the painting, which shows a boy reclining with vines in his hair, will be displayed in an as-yet unspecified location at the show alongside Guido Reni’s Boy Bacchus, which is also owned by the museum.

Leanne Olivier

Favourite wine on my list

I am in love with Lavi Nerello

Mascalese from Colombia Bianca in Sicily at the moment. It seems to be a great red for pretty much any occasion. It isn’t overly complicated, has a real burst of vibrant fruit and is oh-so-smooth.

Favourite wine and food match Mushroom and garlic bread tapas with a delicious CVNE Monopole Blanco was an unforgettable moment.

Favourite wine trip Bordeaux in the summer of 2012. I went to as many off-the-beatentrack vineyards as I could. At each vineyard, in very broken French, I asked the winemaker which vineyard I should visit next. The result was a fabulously sunny day, great tasting wines, an exquisite lunch, a whole boot full of tasty wines, and years of happiness enjoying them ever since.

Favourite wine trade person

The most interesting person in wine I have met has to be Pieter Walser of Blank Bottle Winery. Pieter doesn’t just have the chat; his wines are exceptional and he owns his brand by living by example.

Favourite wine shop

I’ll have to give a shout out to my local friends at Wolf Wine in Bath. I always take away a bottle of something pretty awesome.

Finance minister Sergio Massa said the more generous exchange rate for wine, the exact level of which has not yet been unveiled, aimed “to help recover export competitiveness and consolidate Argentina’s reserves”.

Enrique Vaquie, minister for energy and economy in Mendoza, said that trying to export Argentine wine had been like “rowing through a river of dulce de leche”. Financial Times, March 10

Go for the wine, stay for the art

Caravaggio’s Bacchus will be shown at the Vinitaly trade fair in Verona this spring as part of government efforts to promote the country’s wine industry. But art and heritage campaign group Mi Riconosci has described the plans as “absurd” and “unacceptable”, arguing that government rules prohibit the painting from leaving the museum.

The Art Newspaper, March 29

Co-op invests in own-label revamp

The Co-op has relaunched its premium Irresistible wine range.

The range has new branding to give better stand-out on shelf. It has added a selection of “esoteric” wines including the retailer’s first Swiss wine, a Chilean País from 130 year-old-bush vines and a Sauvignon Blanc Blush.

The retailer said customers are “moving back to own-label”, adding: “Our premium Co-op own-label offer, as a total, is up 9% so far this year. It does feel like a good time to relaunch the Irresistible range.”

The Drinks Business, March 30

Wineries hit by Silicon Valley crisis

Following the closure of Silicon Valley Bank, it is estimated that thousands of wineries are locked out of their accounts and they don’t know if, or when, they’ll get access to their money.

According to an internal report, wineries represented 2% of the bank’s total loan business and, since 1994, Silicon Valley Bank has extended more than $4bn in loans to wineries and vineyards.

San Francisco Chronicle, March 10