The Wine News in 5

This week Sam updates you on the floods in eastern Spain, what the US election is likely to mean for the wine industry, LWCs response to UK duty hikes, and the OIV’s adoption of a definition of ‘old vine’ and ‘old vineyard’.

You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/what-us-elections-mean-wine-industry-defining-old-vines-uk-duty-hike-response.

This week Sam updates you on flooding in eastern and southern Spain, areas of the UK budget that will impact the wine trade, the smallest harvest in Germany since 2017, and a new AVA in Washington state and a new IGP in Lorraine.

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/spains-devastating-floods-uk-autumn-budget-impacts-germanys-small-harvest.

This week Sam updates you on an ecstasy-spiked champagne case, flooding in the Rhône Valley, the Castel Group’s new acquisition, Australia’s wine sales to China, and two new technologies in winemaking – one that can take the place of sulphur dioxide and the other that can condense CO2 from winery fermentations to be used later in the winemaking process.

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/carbon-capture-winery-chestnut-tannins-rhone-floods-castel-group-buys-malard.

This week Sam updates you on a new AVA in Napa Valley, crop losses in the UK, an international wine fraud ring based in Italy, a letter that Constellation’s lawyers sent to Adam Lee of Dial Tone Wine, and Hong Kong slashing liquor duties. 

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/napas-new-ava-massive-wine-fraud-bust-uk-harvest-woes-hidden-sugar-dry-wine.

This week Sam updates you on French vine-pull subsidies, the tiny 2024 harvest in France, Napa securing name protection in Mexico, the sale of The Duckhorn Portfolio, and Come Over October events. 

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/frances-shrinking-vineyards-napas-name-protected-duckhorn-portfolio-sold.

This week Sam updates you on Hurricane Helene, harvest in Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, Chianti and Piedmont, Moët Hennessy’s investment in non-alcoholic sparkling, the launch of the VITÆVINO declaration, and the controversy surrounding updates to US dietary guidelines.

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hurricane-helene-lvmhs-non-alcoholic-fizz-vitaevino-declaration-and-us-dietary-guidelines.

This week Sam updates you on the announcement of the 2024 Taylor’s Port Golden Vines Diversity Scholars, devastating fires in Portugal, flash flooding in Bolgheri, France’s request for €120 million in subsidies to pull up vineyards, the authorization of government funded crisis distillation in Ribeira Sacra, and the world’s first electric furnace for glass-bottle manufacturing.

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/french-vine-pulls-and-spanish-subsidies-wildfires-portugal-electric-furnace-bottles.

This week Sam updates you on flooding in Central and Eastern Europe, frost in South Australia, a new appellation in the southern Rhône, the first Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) producer in France, the VDP’s pending admittance of non-estate fruit for the first time in history, and harvest in the Veneto. 

Read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/flooding-europe-frost-australia-veneto-harvest-begins-new-rhone-appellation.

This week Sam updates you on a recently published report on whether wine is good or bad for you, one of the smallest harvests in France in a century, Alpha Estate’s acquisition of Boutari Winery in Greece and the start of harvest in Virginia, New York, Washington State, Oregon and the Loire Valley.

Read the transcript of this article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/alcohol-health-debate-frances-tiny-harvest-alpha-estate-buys-boutari-santorini.

This week Sam updates you on a win for Swedish wines and hybrid vines, the release of the 2022 red and 2023 white Grosse Gewächse as well as the start of Germany’s harvest, Brown-Forman’s abandonment of diversity and inclusion programmes, losses for Australian Vintage and Naked Wines, and the lightweighting of bottles for top wines by Zuccardi. 

*This newscast incorrectly states that The Swedish Wine Tasting has occurred before. This was the first ever event for TSWT.

Read the transcript of this article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/zuccardi-lightweights-top-bottles-brown-forman-dumps-dei-pfalz-harvest-begins.

This week Sam updates you on a new crop of MWs, the elevation of Criolla Chica by Argentina’s National Viticulture Institute, hail in the Aude (Ode), the start of harvest in Crimea and Greece, and a new report from the IWSR looking at growth markets for alcohol.

Read the transcript of this article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/new-mws-criolla-chica-promoted-aude-hail-growth-markets-beverage-alcohol.

This week Sam updates you on a new study to add to the ongoing debate on wine and health, the largest transport of wine by sailboat to date, the legalisation of alcohol advertisement on TikTok, Ackley acquiring Charles Smith, and the start of harvest in Austria.

Read the transcript of this article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/new-wine-and-health-study-alcohol-tiktok-ackleys-rapid-growth-early-harvest-austria.

This week Sam updates you on legal changes in Chile that will allow 51 new grape varieties to be varietally labelled and add two wine regions, Treasury selling its entry-level Australian brands, hail in Beaujolais and Barolo, protests in Portugal, the start of harvest in the northern hemisphere, and the theft of $650,000-worth of Burgundy wines.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/early-2024-harvest-start-new-chilean-dos-port-protests-more-hail-europe.

This week Sam updates you on Alsace limiting yields, Australia regaining its position as China’s largest wine supplier, British Columbia’s decision to allow wineries to import grapes to make wine, new data from the IWSR, Verallia's incredibly lightweight sparkling-wine bottles, and a shipwreck loaded with Champagne discovered in the Baltic Sea.

Read a transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/new-data-falling-wine-sales-australia-regains-china-market-alsace-limits-yields.

This week Sam updates you on research protocol happenings for US dietary guidelines, an end to the strike in Ontario, a new red Alsace Grand Cru, Champagne yield restrictions, Vintage Wine Estates' bankruptcy, the potential sale of Gusbourne, hail and rain in Sancerre, a brazen wine fraud case, and new features of the Old Vine Registry.

Read a transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/us-dietary-guidelines-alcohol-update-new-red-alsace-grand-cru-champagne-challenges.

This week Sam updates you on the inclusion of white wines in the Gigondas AOC, the strike in Ontario, hail in Ardèche, Accolade’s acquisition of Pernod Ricard’s wine interests, a new EU subsidy granted for crisis distillation in Portugal, and improvements to the Austrian Digital Wine Atlas.

Read the transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/ontario-strike-update-hail-ardeche-accolade-acquisitions-crisis-distillation-portugal.

This week Sam updates you on the LCBO strike in Ontario before discussing sales of spirits overtaking those of wine, the surprising growth in the wine capsule market, fires in California, hail in Bordeaux, vine-pull plans in the EU, and the 'Come Over October' campaign.

Read the transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/ontario-strike-intensifies-hail-hits-bordeaux-california-fires-eu-vine-pulls-spirits-sales.

This week Sam covers the 'ReuseReady Campaign', the expansion of UK vineyards, the strike of more than 9,000 Ontario liquor store employees, and the downsizing of the Australian Wine Research Institute. 

Read the transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/promoting-bottle-reuse-ontario-liquor-store-strike-awri-downsizes-uk-vineyards-expand.

This week Sam covers the Old Vine Registry's 'Heritage Vine Hunt' contest, Appellation Marlborough Wine's ever increasing standards, Antinori's aquisition of the rest of Col Solare, where to find the JancisRobinson.com team over the coming months, and extends our team's congratulations to the latest winners of Golden Vines Wine Scholar Guild Scholarships.

Congratulations to Deniz Bayram (UK), Denman Chan (Hong Kong), Eduardo Contreras (Mexico), Harnil Mathur (Hong Kong), Jounghwa Yi (Korea), Junqi Peng (USA), Karene Vilela (Brazil), Sammy Lam (USA), Valeria Tenison (France) and Xeniya Volosnikova (France).

Read the transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hunt-old-vines-higher-standards-marlborough-and-antinori-buys-col-solare.

This week Sam covers a disappointing finish to Bordeaux's en primeur campaign, the release of the 2024 Master of Wine exam questions and wines, hail in France, fires in California, and the discovery of the world's oldest wine.

Read the transcript of the article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hail-and-wildfires-worlds-oldest-wine-discovered-bordeauxs-weak-en-primeur-campaign.

Just back from taking the Master of Wine Stage 2 practical exam, Sam tackles the hot topic of calories and wine, catches us up on Australia’s wine industry, pays tribute to wine legend Warren Winiarski and celebrates Jancis's latest award.

Read the transcript of this article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/diet-wine-australian-struggles-warren-winiarski-and-sustainability-award-jancis.

Plus the first viable, scalable, wine-bottle reuse company in the Americas. 

Read the transcript of this article at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/accolade-wines-update-tescos-bottle-weight-pledge-us-wine-bottle-reuse-oregon-wildfire.

Extreme weather in Europe, the US Federal Government’s impending update to dietary guidelines, James Millton’s conviction for smuggling vine cuttings, and the end of one of the most iconic wine celebrations in the US.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hail-and-floods-alcohol-and-health-smuggled-vines-and-end-pinot-noir-celebration.

Devastating flooding continues to impact Brazil (see the destruction on the Speranza property in Bento Gonçalves shown above) and Australia’s wine business is considering a concerning level of market consolidation. But there is good news today, in a report on US wine sales.

The warming climate continues to wreak havoc on wine regions around the world. Sam has some smart advice on how to help – and how prioritize the planet with all your wine-buying choices.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/brazil-floods-sea-smoke-sale-rising-temperatures-one-less-wine-magazine.

The good news is that en primeur Bordeaux prices have been slashed by as much as 40%. The bad news is that the weather is not cooperating with winegrowers in France, Germany and Spain, and Türkiye’s wineries are facing crippling taxes …

Read the transcript of this podcast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/bordeaux-price-cuts-hail-frost-and-drought-damage-europe-turkiyes-threatening-taxes.

Single-quinta vintage port announcements are a rare bright spot in a week of frost reports and new data on falling consumption, production and trade.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/frosts-devastates-eu-vineyards-port-2022-releases-falling-wine-consumption.

Which houses have made 2022 vintage port declarations? What is en primeur and what was Bordeaux's 2023 vintage like? How was the 2024 harvest in South Africa? And how has Vinea Wachau gone the extra mile in committing to sustainability?

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/vintage-port-declarations-bordeaux-en-primeur-austrias-wachau-certified-sustainable.

*Correction: The Fladgate Partnership sold Krohn to WineStone in October 2023.

Tam is shortlisted for the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards’ Drink Writer of the year. There is a new global database for female winemakers, viticulturists, brewers and distillers. And wineries that use 100% British Columbia grown grapes are struggling to stay afloat.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/women-wine-bc-challenges-fortnum-mason-shortlist.

A new study suggests that local fungi perform better than fungicides when combatting grapevine trunk diseases; Chinon floods, Spain dries up, and Majestic acquires Vagabond.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/spains-heat-and-frances-rain-majestics-wine-bar-acquisition-natural-fungal-controls.

Canned wine's reduction issue, Patz & Hall and Truett-Hurst are, once again, privately held, and Beijing finally lifts tariffs on Australian wine.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/canned-wine-concerns-sonoma-winery-buybacks-china-tariffs-lifted.

Neo-prohibitionist organizations are behind recent anti-alcohol policy at the WHO and California's largest wine companies are importing foreign bulk wine and selling it under American labels.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/neo-prohibitionists-and-who-and-californias-imported-bulk-wine-problem.

The Mosel VDP approves Abtsberg vineyard as a Grosse Lage for Spätburgunder, China recommends lifting tariffs on Australian wine, Argentina lifts its proposed 8% export tax on wine, and more!

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/blue-nun-goes-french-mosel-pinot-noir-promotion-australia-tariff-relief.

Germany's government submits an application in Brussels for the dealcoholization of organic wine to be approved under EU law, the Australian government forms a task force to propose solutions to Australia's wine glut, and Lidl sells bottles of Bordeaux at €1.89.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/can-de-alcoholized-wine-be-organic-how-cheap-can-wine-get-and-australias-wine-glut.

Canada's Minister of Agriculture, Lawrence MacAulay, announces a $177 million extension to the Wine Sector Support Program, winegrowers in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux vote to leave the Union des Côtes de Bordeaux group, Spain gets a new DO, growers protest the négociant Castel Frères, and Portugal’s export market looks surprisingly decent.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/new-spanish-do-grape-price-wars-canadian-winegrower-grants.

The Bordeaux Commercial Court orders négociants to pay a grower more than €350,000 for violating the EGAlim law and paying him less than the cost to produce his wine, Australia offers grants for sustainable packaging innovations, unfastidious publications run clickbait headlines on wine and health, and Premiere Napa Valley raises $3 million.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/fair-prices-farmers-sustainable-packaging-health-scares-napa-auction.

British Columbia is hit by a devastating freeze that wiped out 97-99% of the potential 2024 wine grape crop, California boasts its largest crush in 4 years, and France sees exports decline.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/canadian-cold-snap-california-2023-harvest-french-wine-exports-decline.

Chile’s Valparaíso region is hit by devastating fires, Alberta threatens to block any wine imports from British Columbia, the EU Commission scraps their most recent pesticide proposal, and Jancis is awarded the IMW Lifetime Achievement Award while the Old Vine Registry receives the Heritage Initiative Award.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/chilean-wildfires-canadian-cold-snap-and-eu-pesticide-proposals-scrapped.

Farmer protests in France wind down, protests in Riverland Australia pick up, Accolade Wines’ debt is acquired by Australian Wine Holdco, the Oregon wine industry fumes over Oregon Health Authority’s anti-alcohol campaign, and 67 Pall Mall launches the Global Wine Communicator Awards.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/farmer-led-protests-accolade-buyout-oregons-alcohol-tax-uproar-and-more.

Uneasy times in the south of France and at Vintage Wine Estates on the US West Coast, while Saudi Arabia opens a wine store and California attempts to define regenerative agriculture.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/french-farmers-protest-saudis-sell-wine-and-other-wine-news.

Regenerative organics picks up speed; Drizly shuts down; and wine is losing the battle to spirits for market share.

Read the transcript of this episode and find the full list of Regenerative Organic Certified Vineyards at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/regenerative-organics-wine-delivery-and-svb-report.

William Fèvre sells to Domaines Barons de Rothschild, sparkling and fine wine sales falter, Argentina's new president imposes an 8% export tax on wine, and we launch a new series called 'Wine Boot Camp'.

Read the transcript of this episode at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/sparkling-wine-sales-and-fine-wine-trends.

Naked Wines cuts prices, the Netherlands increases alcohol taxes, the Thai government decreases alcohol taxes, and Oregon wineries sue PacifiCorp. Senior US Editor for JancisRobinson.com, Samantha Cole-Johnson, walks us through the wine news for the week.

What should you know about no and low alcohol beverages? How are anthocyanin levels affected by mechanical leaf removal and deficit irrigation? Senior US Editor for JancisRobinson.com, Samantha Cole-Johnson, walks us through the wine news in 5 minutes a week (ok... 6 with intro and outro).