winefeed

by Primal Wine
ArchiveSUNDAY 26 JULY 202626 JUL
01

Trump tariffs on EU spirits, wine reach 15 percent as exemptions remain uncertain

  • On August 7, 2025, the Trump administration imposed 15 percent tariffs on European Union goods, including wine and spirits, after a July 27 trade deal halved the threatened 30 percent rate.
  • Wine and spirits were not granted exemption status alongside airplanes and chemicals; EU and US industry groups urged tariff-free trade in a joint letter on August 6.
  • The Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition estimates 15 percent tariffs could eliminate over 25,000 American jobs in hospitality, retail, and distribution sectors.
  • A US Supreme Court ruling in July invalidated many earlier Trump tariffs on reciprocal grounds, potentially opening reimbursement claims for importers and small businesses that paid those duties.
  • Canadian tariffs of 35 to 50 percent on US alcohol remain in place, though USMCA-covered beverages from Mexico and Canada are exempt from most new duties.
02

Joel Gott releases electrolyte-spiked Sauvignon Blanc spritz for younger drinkers

  • Trinchero Family Wines, third-largest US wine supplier, launched Sauvy B on 15 July: a 4.5% ABV canned spritz blending sparkling water, citrus and 9% California Sauvignon Blanc, priced at $13.99 per four-pack through Target, Walmart and Total Wine & More.
  • Founder Joel Gott framed the launch as a recruitment tool for younger drinkers, aiming to embed the word 'wine' in their everyday vocabulary rather than appeal to existing wine consumers.
  • The product taps a $43 billion global electrolyte-drinks market forecast to grow 8.4% annually through 2034, driven by wellness-oriented younger consumers seeking hydration and clean-label claims.
  • Wine-based RTDs have ceded ground to spirit-based formats in canned categories; Sauvy B's varietal branding and hydration positioning directly target that gap rather than compete on wine credentials alone.
  • The launch signals electrolytes joining low-sugar, gluten-free and low-calorie as standard functional claims on wine-adjacent packaging, with national rollout planned through January 2027 and pineapple and watermelon flavours to follow.
03

Vintae completes €12 million takeover of historic Bodegas Riojanas

  • Vintae's holding company Gevisa Wine Capital acquired 90% of Bodegas Riojanas after Spanish court approved a restructuring plan in July.
  • The deal valued at €12 million was structured through debt capitalisation and a capital increase; Bodegas Riojanas remains publicly listed.
  • Vintae also committed €5 million in financing to support the Rioja winery's next phase of operations.
  • Bodegas Riojanas, founded 1890 and owner of Monte Real and Viña Albina brands, joins Vintae's portfolio alongside Bodegas Torreduero, Viore and stakes in other Spanish producers.
  • Ricardo Arambarri Pérez becomes chairman and Fernando Martínez Sampedro chief executive; two independent directors will be appointed in September.
04

Profitable Napa wineries rely on hospitality and club loyalty amid market collapse

  • WineBusiness Monthly's annual survey found 50 percent of Napa vineyards reported declining revenue and 51 percent saw profit drops in the past year.
  • Profitable wineries are shifting away from walk-in tasting rooms toward direct-to-consumer clubs and member-exclusive experiences that build emotional loyalty.
  • Chateau Montelena, Domaine Carneros, and Baldacci Family Vineyards report strong member retention and higher spending per guest by hosting off-site events and personalizing relationships.
  • Julien Fayard's downtown Napa bottle shop grew 66 percent year-over-year by targeting Bay Area weekend commuters and city foot traffic instead of high-cost resort visitors.
  • Access to premium fruit like Beckstoffer and Hyde grapes has improved as prices fall, giving survivors an opportunity to lower entry-level wine costs and attract price-sensitive customers.
05

US lifts Scotch whisky tariffs after Trump-King Charles summit

  • US President Donald Trump removed a 10% tariff on Scotch whisky effective 24 July, ending a levy imposed in April 2025 that was set to rise to 25% on single malts.
  • The Scotch Whisky Association reported export volumes to the US fell 15% between May and December 2025 after the tariff took effect, though America remains the industry's most valuable overseas market.
  • The tariff lift establishes a reciprocal zero-tariff framework between the UK and US, with American bourbon and whiskey also entering the UK duty-free under the same agreement.
  • Industry leaders including Chris Swonger of the Distilled Spirits Council and Nodjame Fouad of Pernod Ricard's aged spirits division cited relief for hospitality businesses and restored access to American consumers.
  • The Distilled Spirits Council and Pernod Ricard now seek removal of tariffs on other spirits including Irish whiskey, Champagne and Cognac to further lower costs for restaurants and bars.
06

Teamsters push 75% tariff on Mexican beer to shift production stateside

  • Sean O'Brien, Teamsters president, called on the Trump administration to impose a 75 percent tax on Mexican beer to encourage domestic brewing of Modelo and Corona.
  • The Teamsters filed arguments with the US Trade Representative claiming Mexico uses tax policy to artificially subsidize beer exports, harming US brewery workers and domestic brands.
  • Constellation Brands, which holds US licenses for Modelo and Corona, disputes the tariff case, citing a May 2026 study claiming 74 percent of economic value from imported Mexican beer flows to US workers and businesses.
  • The think tank behind that study, Unleash Prosperity, received data from Constellation but denies financial ties; its co-author previously worked as chief economist for a liquor trade group.
  • The Teamsters have direct financial incentive to shift Mexican beer production northward, as the union does not organize Mexican workers but could recruit dues-paying members in US breweries.
07

United Spirits profit surges 52% on premium spirits demand in India

  • United Spirits, Diageo's Indian subsidiary, reported standalone net profit of 3.91 billion rupees in Q1 2027, up 51.6% year-on-year.
  • Revenue rose 5% to 61.13 billion rupees while operating expenses increased only 4.6%, showing margin expansion.
  • Premium spirits portfolio drove growth, with net sales in the prestige segment up 10.1% and accounting for 91.7% of total sales.
  • Karnataka's May tax reform reducing excise on premium spirits and abolishing government price controls supported demand for higher-end brands.
  • CEO Praveen Someshwar cited double-digit growth in the Prestige & Above segment and signalled further expansion ahead this fiscal year.
08

Wetherspoon profits fall despite 4% sales growth as costs surge

  • JD Wetherspoon, a 793-pub UK chain, warned profits will miss market expectations for the year ending July 2026 despite like-for-like sales rising 4% in the final quarter.
  • Chairman Tim Martin cited food, labour, repairs, energy and business rates as cost pressures that outpaced revenue growth and squeezed margins.
  • The chain's avoidance of costly sports subscriptions allowed it to profit from free-to-air World Cup coverage without offsetting the underlying cost inflation.
  • Year-end net debt of £720 million matched prior-year levels; the company spent £42 million on share buybacks and £12.2 million on freehold acquisitions.
09

UK-India tariff cut halves Scotch whisky duty to 75 percent

  • The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, effective 15 July, cut India's Scotch whisky tariff from 150% to 75%, with planned reduction to 40% over ten years.
  • India is Scotch whisky's largest export market by volume; 220 million 70cl bottles shipped in 2025, worth £286 million and up 15% on 2024.
  • Lower tariffs will improve margins for established exporters and allow smaller independent distillers previously blocked by prohibitive costs to enter the Indian market.
  • Indian distributors can now stock premium single malts, limited editions and independent bottlings that were too expensive to list under the old 150% duty.
  • The Scotch Whisky Association called it a landmark deal; Indian distillers including Paul John expressed concern about cheaper imports affecting domestic whisky sales.
01

Bordeaux estates mark anniversaries with golden commemorative bottles

  • Château Gruaud Larose in Saint-Julien released a 2025 bottle etched with golden leaves to mark its 300th anniversary since 1725, available in five sizes including jeroboam.
  • Château Brane-Cantenac in Margaux released a golden-label 2025 to celebrate 100 years under Lurton family ownership, with an embossed sun design honouring late patriarch Lucien Lurton.
  • Mouton Rothschild's millennium 2000 vintage in a hand-painted golden Augsburg Ram bottle released at €250 now trades at €1,550, setting the market standard for decorative anniversary releases.
  • Châteaux Angélus, Margaux, Talbot, Léoville Poyferré and Cos d'Estournel released gold-embossed or silk-screened commemorative bottles between 2012 and 2020, blending milestone anniversaries with exceptional vintages.
  • Rauzan-Gassies and Langoa Barton created multi-vintage gift collections in 2021 and 2016 respectively, packaging bottles from different eras to chronicle family ownership across generations.
02

Andreola drops Prosecco name to distance itself from mass-market category

  • Stefano Pola, who runs Andreola estate in Valdobbiadene since taking over his father Nazzareno's 40-year-old business, removed the word Prosecco from labels between 2007 and 2018 to signal terroir over category.
  • The shift reflects a deliberate break from mass-market Prosecco positioning: the estate now markets itself on steep-hillside provenance and quality rather than the appellation that made it famous.
  • Pola argues the Prosecco name had grown too broad and simplified, conflicting with Andreola's identity as a handcrafted, high-quality producer rooted in historic territory.
  • Many older Valdobbiadene producers view the decision as betrayal, having built Prosecco's reputation themselves; Pola acknowledges the commercial risk but stands by the choice.
  • The estate now farms 110 hectares across 250 parcels in the Rive zone, focusing on labour-intensive hillside viticulture as younger workers increasingly reject the pre-dawn shifts required by seasonal rhythms.
03

Moldova emerges as high-density wine nation with rare indigenous varieties

  • Moldova has 114,000 hectares of vineyards covering 7% of its agricultural land, the highest vineyard density globally, with wine accounting for 3% of GDP and 8% of exports.
  • The Fetească family of indigenous white and red varieties, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regála, and Fetească Neagră, offers no equivalents elsewhere and is being explored in new oak and traditional method sparkling wines.
  • Rară Neagră, possibly cultivated since 3000 BC and now centered in Stefan Vodă, produces light reds with sour cherry and wild blackberry notes that rival Pinot Noir at lower cost.
  • Viorica, a 1969 crossing developed for frost resistance, is a distinctly floral white wine pairing particularly well with Asian cuisine and representing Moldova's winemaking innovation.
  • Two state-owned limestone-quarry cellars, Cricova with 70km of galleries and Mileștii Mici with over 200km holding 1.5 million bottles, provide ideal maturation conditions and are major wine tourism sites.
04

Aldi launches rosé colour swatch after finding one in three UK adults reject bottles by shade

  • Aldi UK commissioned research showing 31% of UK adults refuse rosé glasses due to colour, costing the market an estimated £103 million annually in rejected stock.
  • Light Provence-style blush is the most popular shade at 40.9% preference, followed by pale salmon at 20.6%, with 13% rejecting glasses for being too pale and 18% for being too dark.
  • Aldi created a pocket-sized Rosé Swatch keyring to help shoppers identify their preferred shade before purchase, distributed via email giveaway until 11 August 2026.
  • Sam Caporn MW, Aldi wine expert, countered the assumption that pale rosé is superior, noting darker rosés from Primitivo or Syrah offer deeper fruit and food pairing potential.
  • UK rosé sales grew 5% by value to £882 million in 2025, driven by affordable French brands under £10, with consumers buying 129 million bottles versus 125 million in 2024.
05

Independent wine merchant wins inaugural sustainable buyer award

  • Di Camillo, owner of Wine & Such independent shop in London, won the first Sustainable Wine Buyer award from the Wine Buyers Awards competition.
  • Judges found her sustainability approach threaded through sourcing, producer relations, and daily operations, not confined to single initiatives like cork recycling.
  • Many competition entrants left the sustainability section blank, signalling some buyers do not yet treat it as core to their role.
  • Majestic won the separate Sustainable Drinks Buying Team of the Year award in the same inaugural year.
  • The category launched in 2025 to recognise buyers shaping wine trends through sustainability, though the industry has ground to cover.
06

Trinchero launches Sauvy B, electrolyte-spiked wine spritzer targeting younger drinkers

  • Trinchero Family Wines and winemaker Joel Gott released Sauvy B, a 4.5% ABV canned wine spritzer made with 9% Sauvignon Blanc, 90% sparkling water, and Himalayan salt for electrolytes.
  • The product launches in grapefruit and lime flavors at $14 per four-pack, with pineapple and watermelon editions planned for fall.
  • Gott designed Sauvy B to introduce younger consumers to wine through a health-focused RTD format, aiming to convert them to traditional wine drinking later.
  • Distribution begins this week in Target, Total Wine & More, and Walmart nationwide, plus Albertsons and Safeway in southern California and Texas; on-premise sales start October.
07

Fifteen sommeliers pick expensive Bordeaux bottles worth their premium price tags.

  • Château Palmer, Lafleur, La Mission Haut-Brion, and Pontet-Canet drew multiple nominations for balancing luxury with thoughtful farming rather than inflated label value.
  • Several sommeliers flagged 'Super Seconds' like Ducru-Beaucaillou and Cos d'Estournel as delivering first-growth quality at lower prices, rejecting the region's obsolete classification hierarchy.
  • Nominees emphasized natural winemaking, biodynamic viticulture, and multi-generational family knowledge as justification for splurge-worthy bottles over pure pedigree.
  • One sommelier nominated Château d'Yquem dessert wine, the only non-red recommendation, for its 300-year production record and consistent quality across vintages.
01

Château d'Esclans expects earliest harvest on record as it trials heat-resistant grapes

  • Château d'Esclans, Provence producer of Whispering Angel rosé, expects to begin harvest around 10 August 2024, earlier than any previous vintage on record.
  • Winemaker Joéva Walczak cited very high temperatures and confirmed the estate has no disease or weather damage except heat stress.
  • The estate is trialling three new grape varieties permitted experimentally in AOP Provence rosé since December 2021: Nero d'Avola and Xinomavro from Italy and Greece, plus Spain's Verdejo.
  • In the vineyard, Château d'Esclans uses permanent ground cover to lower soil temperature and retain moisture; in the cellar, it keeps grapes and wines cool using inert gas protection and equipment.
  • Grenache will remain the backbone of all rosés including Whispering Angel; new varieties could eventually blend into the range if they deliver the freshness and quality the estate seeks.
02

Costco recalls desert willow plants carrying grape-killing pest eggs

  • Costco sold desert willow plants infected with glassy-winged sharpshooter eggs at US stores between 24 June and 3 July 2026.
  • The leafhopper spreads Xylella fastidiosa bacterium, which causes Pierce's disease, a fatal infection with no cure that destroys grapevines.
  • California agricultural officials urged customers to inspect plants, isolate them if planted, and contact county commissioners; disposal requires double-sealed bags.
  • This is the second Costco recall this year involving the pest; California's $73 billion wine industry faces major vulnerability to Pierce's disease.
  • Infected vines must be removed and destroyed to prevent further spread of the disease through vineyards.
03

Grape sunburn spreads north as heat waves intensify; growers shift canopy tactics

  • Sunburn in grapes is a stress response when berry surface temperatures exceed 104-109°F under high light, causing cell death, chlorophyll and polyphenol breakdown, and floral/citrus aroma loss.
  • Direct sun can push a berry 22-27°F above air temperature; a 95°F day makes exposed fruit exceed 122°F on the sun-facing side.
  • Producers in Provence and Hunter Valley have reversed decades of leaf-removal practice, now leaving canopy cover through summer and limiting defoliation to early flowering or vigorous varieties only.
  • Kaolin clay spray cools canopy by up to 9°C, used by Tyrrell's in Australia since 2014; sorting sunburned fruit at harvest is the final defense when prevention fails.
  • Climate change is pushing heat waves into regions without historical sunburn risk, making shading and timing of canopy management critical to preserve acid, color, and aromatic compounds.
04

Even Heat-Tolerant Mourvèdre Struggles as Southern France Burns

  • Mourvèdre, bred for heat and drought in southern France's Bandol region, now faces temperatures and dry spells so severe that even old vines suffer and die.
  • Jean-François Ott at Domaines Ott and other Bandol producers are experimenting with canopy management, higher pruning, and ground cover to shade grapes and retain soil moisture.
  • A three-year drought in Jumilla from 2022 to 2024 forced growers to consider irrigation, threatening the dry-farming tradition that defines the region's terroir.
  • Bandol's cooler sites once reserved for rosé are now being considered for red wine as climate shifts, risking a reduction in the region's rosé production.
  • In Jumilla, the vineyard surface area has halved in 20 years, with lower-altitude sites abandoned; only higher-altitude parcels at 600-800 meters retain the conditions Mourvèdre needs.
02wineanorak·Jamie Goode·

Tenuta Minchella’s ‘By Fabiano’ wines: Italian-inspiration hits the McLaren Vale, Australia

  • Fabiano Minchella plants Italian grape varieties in McLaren Vale; the Minchella family built their winery after unexpected grape sale profits created tax implications.
  • Tenuta Minchella released wines commercially from the 2020 vintage after a 2017 experimental Primitivo; they operate as a contract facility and produce their own 'By Fabiano' brand.
  • Fabiano worked vintages in Italy: 2013-2014 in Basilicata, then 2015 onwards in Manduria and Puglia before establishing in McLaren Vale.
  • Fiano emerged as the surprising star variety despite expectations for Vermentino; Fabiano prefers stainless steel fermentation over oak for Fiano's purity and power.
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03Tim Atkin·Tim Atkin MW·

The Yang Of Greek Wine

  • Malagousia has emerged as the second-biggest white wine story in Greece over the past 20 years, alongside Assyrtiko's rise.
  • Malagousia was rescued from near-extinction in the late 1970s by an agriculturalist, viticulture professor, winery owner, and winemaker Vangelis Gerovassiliou.
  • By 2020, Malagousia had caught up with Chardonnay in vineyard acreage and was approaching Moschofilero's plantings.
  • Rich and generous with tropical fruit notes, Malagousia is described as the Yang to Assyrtiko's Yin, ideal as a summer wine with seafood and lighter foods.
  • Roxane Matsa is noted as an undersung figure in promoting Malagousia during its early development phases.
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04Everyday Drinking·Jason Wilson·

In Praise of Older White Wines

  • 78% of white wines shipped from Octavian Wine storage came from the previous six vintages, versus only 40% of red wines, showing collectors drink whites far younger than reds.
  • White Burgundy's premox crisis (1995, mid-2000s) caused premature oxidation in bottles from Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, and other top producers, with no consensus reached on its cause or why it has largely disappeared.
  • Italian white wine producers rarely hold back stock for later release, preventing consumers from encountering mature bottles and building confidence in aging potential, only two Lugana producers visited retain stock.
  • University of Verona's Professor Maurizio Ugliano is mapping volatile compounds and aroma precursors of Italian grape varieties including turbiana (Lugana) to understand how they develop complexity with age.
  • Aging wine in a barrique costs producers approximately €6 per liter or €4.50 per bottle for one-time use, covering barrel, labor, storage, and financing costs.
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05The Morning Claret·Simon J. Woolf·

Six Wines That Stopped Me in My Tracks

  • Charly, a Burgundy native, moved to Lower Austria a decade ago and produces wines under his own label with a French sensibility using Austrian varieties.
  • Charly's Blauer Portugieser, sourced from grapes by Christoph Hoch, displays ripeness, vivid fruit, and creamy texture unusual for the variety.
  • Charly owns one hectare of vines and sources additional grapes from friends farming organically or biodynamically.
  • Charly's Grüner Veltliner 2022, Blaufränkisch 2023, and Zweigelt 2023 are available from Gute Weine for €27 per bottle with EU delivery.
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06Maker's Table·Meg Maker·

Notable Releases from Troon Vineyard

  • Troon Vineyard released 2025 Vermentino and 2023 Syrah from Oregon's Applegate Valley.
  • Troon Vineyard, located in Grant's Pass, farms using certified biodynamic and regenerative organic principles.
  • Troon ferments with ambient cultures, uses minimal sulfite at bottling, and ages in neutral vessels instead of new oak.
  • Applegate Valley's alluvial soils, Mediterranean sun exposure, and cool overnight temperatures from Siskiyou Mountain winds ripen grapes effectively.
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07Grape Wall of China·Jim Boyce·

Q&8 | Wang Yuanzhu Talks Grapes, Grain & Ancient Wine

  • Coram Collective, founded in 2023 with 2024 production, co-ferments rice wine with Chardonnay and Merlot grapes while innovating huangjiu, an ancient Chinese fermented beverage.
  • Co-founder Alex Yuanzhu Wang's huangjiu with aged Chinese tangerine peel emerged from a Christmas Eve 2024 moment when team members wanted refreshing beer after steaming rice.
  • Coram's products are listed in over 100 restaurants and bistros across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu within one year of launch.
  • Chardomi blends 80% Chardonnay grapes with 20% glutinous rice; rice undergoes soaking, steaming and saccharification before co-fermenting with freshly pressed grape juice.
  • Huangjiu typically peaks between three and eight years of aging, and quality examples differ fundamentally from lower-grade cooking wine, contrary to common misconceptions.
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08Be Wine Curious·Miquel Hudin·

A wine of straw

  • Dessert wine consumption has declined for approximately 75 years, with no expected recovery.
  • Goût Russe Champagne from the 19th century contained 300g/l of sugar for Russian markets.
  • Raül Bobet, co-owner of Ferrer-Bobet in Priorat, Catalunya, released a dessert wine requiring 20-year aging.
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