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Chapel Down reports 19% sales growth, accelerates US expansion via Jackson Family Wines

• Chapel Down, England's largest winemaker, posted net sales revenue of £9.4 million for the first half of 2026, up 19% year-on-year.
• International sales surged 66% to £0.8 million, driven by a partnership with Jackson Family Wines that now stocks the brand in 31 US states and 250 Whole Foods Market locations.
• Off-trade revenue rose 18% to £4.4 million as English sparkling wine grew at double-digit rates; on-trade climbed 18% to £1.5 million across 2,750 unique outlets.
• Traditional method sparkling now accounts for 74% of wine revenue, up from 70%, as the premiumisation strategy gains traction and the brand maintains 92% of Champagne's price index.
• Chapel Down extended its credit facility to £25 million with a further £5 million accordion option, and expects full-year 2026 revenue of £22.1 million.

RNDC files Chapter 11 after months of asset sales and supplier losses

• Republic National Distributing Company filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 26 July, listing liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion and over 100,000 creditors.
• The filing follows RNDC's withdrawal from California in June 2025 and sale of 11 markets to Reyes Beverage Group and other competitors, which the company said preserved over 5,000 jobs.
• RNDC lost major suppliers including Brown-Forman, Pernod Ricard and Treasury Wine Estates as producers reconsidered distribution strategies within the traditional three-tier system.
• The bankruptcy excludes joint ventures in New York, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky, and does not cover National Distributing Company, which merged with Republic in 2007.
• Unsecured creditors face steep recovery odds; the 30 largest unsecured claims total over $300 million, led by Proximo Spirits at $93.92 million for trade debt and litigation.

Hungary builds UK market presence beyond Tokaj's shadow

• Wines of Hungary, the sector's marketing agency, ran a six-city UK roadshow in 2024-2025 featuring masterclasses, tastings and food pairings to shift perception beyond sweet Tokaj.
• Hungary produces 22 winemaking districts across six regions with volcanic terroir, local varieties like Furmint and Hárslevelű, and Central European grapes including Kékfrankos and Kadarka.
• Up to 36 Hungarian wineries attended each event; producers including Sebestyén Pince Szekszárd and Gere Attila Pincészete reported strong UK buyer interest and plans for ongoing market development.
• The roadshow emphasized Hungary's diversity and innovation in winemaking technique rather than relying on Tokaj's reputation alone, positioning the country as a source of emerging wine styles.
• Producers cited Scotland and Northern England as particularly receptive to Hungarian wines, with on-trade venues seeking lesser-known regions and indigenous grape varieties to diversify wine lists.

Zuccardi limits Argentine Malbec bottles to build brand, not chase volume

• Sebastián Zuccardi, owner-winemaker at Argentina's Familia Zuccardi, uses La Place negociant network to enter Asian and American markets where direct distribution is weak.
• El Camino de Las Flores 2025 Chardonnay released in only 2,000 bottles; Zuccardi deliberately restricts production below market demand to prevent price erosion.
• Zuccardi argues scarcity protects margins: making one extra bottle than the market needs forces price cuts, so he caps volume and grows slowly instead.
• Pandemic-driven Bordeaux price spikes flooded the negociant market with non-Bordeaux wines; Zuccardi now competes for placement by keeping his Argentine Malbec exclusive and scarce.
• Brand-building, not distribution, is Zuccardi's focus; La Place opens doors but requires direct tastings and market presence to shift consumer perceptions of Argentine Malbec.

Louis Roederer acquires Domaine Pierre Damoy in Burgundy

• Champagne house Louis Roederer completed its first Burgundy acquisition on 24 July, buying Domaine Pierre Damoy and nearly eight hectares of grand cru vineyards.
• The deal adds parcels in Chambertin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Chapelle-Chambertin and the monopole Clos Tamisot to Roederer's multi-region portfolio.
• CEO Frédéric Rouzaud cited the purchase as historically meaningful, coinciding with the Champagne house's 250th anniversary milestone.
• The acquisition extends Roederer's strategy of investing in premium estates beyond Champagne across France, Portugal and the United States.
• Financial terms were not disclosed.

Fine wine markups at luxury hotels have tripled in 60 years, except for famous brands

• Patrick Schmitt MW compared Gleneagles Hotel's wine list from 1965 to Andrew Fairlie restaurant's current list, adjusting historic prices by 25× for inflation.
• Krug Champagne markup fell from 80-150% in 1965 to 35% today, suggesting recognisable brands face consumer price-checking that caps restaurant margins.
• Pol Roger markup expanded from 76% in 1965 to 146% today; German Spätlese markup roughly tripled from 45% to 124%, showing less-familiar wines bear steeper premiums.
• Château Latour and d'Yquem markups roughly doubled, with Latour rising from 95% to 195% and d'Yquem from 67-94% to 273% on a half bottle.
• Rosé status inverted: in 1965 a Provençal rosé cost more than premier cru Burgundy at Gleneagles; today it sits unmarked in a regional France section.

Manchuela DO relaxes bottling rules and adds white wine categories

• Manchuela DO in Castilla-La Mancha approved rule changes allowing aged white and rosé wines as new authorised styles.
• Producers no longer must bottle wines within the appellation, giving them commercial flexibility on where to process.
• Albillo Dorado grape variety added to approved list, letting growers diversify plantings beyond existing authorised varieties.
• Changes published by the European Union preserve geographical integrity while modernising regulations for a region building a quality reputation.
• Manchuela, known for old-vine Bobal, is positioned as Spain's overlooked alternative to bulk wine regions.

Perelada and Celler del Pescador earn Spanish climate certification

• Perelada winery in DO Empordà and Celler del Pescador have been awarded Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection certification by the Spanish Wine Federation scheme, recognizing progress on environmental, social, economic and governance goals.
• Perelada, a founding signatory of the Wineries for Climate Protection manifesto in 2011, now has two operations certified under the scheme: its Vilafranca del Penedès winery since 2017 and the Empordà operation newly certified.
• All Perelada-owned vineyards are farmed organically, including flagship Finca Garbet, which also achieved regenerative agriculture certification and is now 100% irrigated with reclaimed municipal wastewater.
• Perelada's 2022 winery was the first in Europe to gain LEED Gold certification, powered by geothermal energy and designed to maximize natural light and water reuse.
• Celler del Pescador's new 2025 winery generates over 90% of its energy from solar panels and operates a wastewater treatment plant to reduce waste across its semi-sparkling wine production.

English insurance entrepreneur Neil Utley acquires historic Château Vignelaure

• Neil Utley, English insurance entrepreneur, bought Château Vignelaure in Provence's Coteaux d'Aix on 23 July 2026, inheriting a 56-hectare estate founded by Georges Brunet in 1960.
• Vignelaure pioneered Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blends in Provence; its design legacy includes a second-wine label created by Yves Saint Laurent, and it inspired neighbouring Trévallon.
• The estate's output now splits 40% rosé, 40% red, and 20% white, reflecting Provence's market shift away from reds despite Vignelaure's historical focus on muscular, age-worthy blends.
• Utley plans significant vineyard replanting and cellar renovation, the first major update since 1972, while retaining winemaker Philippe Bru, who has led since 2008.
• Beyond wine, Utley is launching a cosmetics line called Maison Minu from estate grapeseed oil and honey, and building a spa, signalling diversification beyond fine wine production.

Celebrity wine launches surge from 2005 to 2025, peaking during pandemic

• Kyle MacLachlan launched Pursued by Bear in Walla Walla in 2005, marking an early entry by major film and television actors into wine ownership.
• The trend accelerated sharply in 2020 during pandemic lockdowns, with Kylie Minogue, Post Malone, Cameron Diaz, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige all debuting wine brands between May and July that year.
• Celebrity wine brands now span multiple styles: rosé dominates, but portfolios include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Prosecco, sparkling wines, and low-intervention organic offerings.
• High-profile collaborations with established winemakers and wine regions anchor credibility; Post Malone partnered with oenologist Alexis Cornu in Provence, while Snoop Dogg collaborated with Treasury Wine Estates.
• Kylie Minogue Wines became among the best-selling rosés in the UK within its first year; most brands have expanded from flagship releases to multi-wine portfolios within five years of launch.

Billecart-Salmon launches first Ratafia after 208 years using second-press juice

• Billecart-Salmon, seventh-generation Champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, debuts inaugural Ratafia Champenois in autumn 2026 across Asia-Pacific venues including Rosewood Hong Kong and Agnes Brisbane.
• The 18% ABV fortified wine blends four vintages of Pinot Noir must from Clos Saint-Hilaire with Fine de Champagne, aged in Burgundy oak; 500mL bottles retail at €58 in France.
• Production uses second and third grape presses traditionally wasted, aligning with owner Mathieu Roland-Billecart's sustainability vision to maximise terroir while minimising waste.
• Chief winemaker Florent Nys selected 2019-2022 vintages for their distinct contributions: 2019 for richness, 2020 for maturity, 2021 for freshness, 2022 for length.
• Initial release spans only two barrels distributed to loyal hospitality partners; second edition bottling is scheduled for end of 2026 with annual production planned.

Napa's profitable half gain ground through hospitality and direct sales.

• WineBusiness Monthly's annual survey found 50 percent of Napa vineyards lost revenue and 51 percent lost profits in the past two years, pushing growers toward mothballing acreage or abandoning operations.
• Profitable wineries lean on tasting room hospitality, flexible club memberships, and direct-to-consumer sales rather than relying on walk-in traffic that has declined since 2022.
• Napa's average tasting fee crossed $75 and hotel rates exceed $400 per night, creating sticker shock; successful producers like Julien Fayard's bottle shop saw 66.45 percent growth by lowering costs and offering immersive experiences.
• Chateau Montelena, Domaine Carneros, and Baldacci Family Vineyards grew memberships and member spending by building community, offering tiered club options, and hosting exclusive gatherings that convert guests to long-term buyers.
• Collapsing grape prices have granted access to premium fruit from waitlisted vineyards like Beckstoffer and Hyde, allowing growers to improve quality without raising wholesale costs.

Five rosé winners from DWWA 2026 show style diversity beyond Provence

• Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 awarded 359 rosé medals across eight French regions, revealing rosé as technique rather than place.
• Lunae's Mea Rosa, Liguria, Italy 2025 earned Platinum at 97 points; pale, aromatic style emphasizes rose petals and fresh herbs.
• Winding Wood Rosé Brut, Berkshire, England 2022 won Platinum at 97 points; sparkling style shows cool-climate producers competing at quality peaks.
• Hacienda López De Haro Classica Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain 2016 scored Gold at 96 points; oak-aged structure proves rosé can age seriously.
• Ante Sladić Opol Lasina, Croatia 2025 and Domaine La Cendrillon Minuit, France 2025 both achieved Gold; indigenous grapes and regional depth challenge Provence template dominance.

Brooklyn housing complex installs pathways from 450,000 recycled wine corks

• Public Housing Community Fund, Cork Collective, and nonprofits completed a $500,000 project at Marlboro Houses in Gravesend, Brooklyn, using recycled corks for pathways and playgrounds.
• Cork Collective, launched by Rockwell Group and cork manufacturer Amorim in 2024, sourced over 450,000 corks from NYC restaurants, ground them, and mixed with adhesive before installation.
• Children at Marlboro Houses submitted playground designs; Center for Justice Innovation, The Urban Conga, and the Resident Association incorporated their blueprints into the final plan.
• Cork surfaces absorb stormwater, reduce ambient temperature by 20 to 30 percent, and replace toxic plastic or asphalt; less than one percent of 13 billion annual cork stoppers are recycled globally.
• Three billion corks are discarded annually in the US, making the Marlboro project a model for redirecting wine-industry waste to affordable housing communities.

Six DWWA medal winners chosen for summer drinking and heat

• Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 assessed nearly 17,000 wines from 58 countries blind; medals signal expert consensus on quality worth seeking.
• Hambledon Wine Estate's Classic Cuvée Brut, English sparkler, Gold medal at 95 points, suits crowded warm-weather gatherings in magnum format.
• A La Mano's Tavel rosé, Gold at 95 points, brings depth and grip to pair with grilled and charred food where pale rosés fade.
• Rapaura Springs' ROHE Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand 2025, earned Best in Show with unusual complexity alongside signature regional zip.
• Five other medal winners span styles: Spier Albariño from South Africa, Kurtatsch Schiava from Alto Adige, and bhn's skin-contact Oregon Riesling offer lighter, refreshing summer options.

Independent wine merchant Di Camillo wins inaugural sustainability buyer award

• Di Camillo, owner of Wine & Such, a one-person independent shop, won the inaugural Sustainable Wine Buyer award at the Wine Buyers Awards launched in 2020.
• Majestic won the separate Sustainable Drinks Buying Team of the Year award, showing larger retailers also embed sustainability into strategy.
• A significant portion of entrants left the sustainability section blank, suggesting many buyers either do not prioritize it or lack meaningful action in this area.
• The category's 2025 introduction signals the awards now measure whether buyers shape consumer choice toward sustainable wine, a shift from purely commercial criteria.

Trinchero and Joel Gott launch electrolyte-spiked wine spritzer for younger drinkers

• Trinchero Family Wine and Spirits, the third largest US wine supplier, released Sauvy B, a ready-to-drink wine spritz made with Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling water, and Himalayan salt electrolytes at 4.5 percent ABV.
• Winemaker Joel Gott, whose brands include Joel Gott Wines and Three Thieves, partnered on the product to introduce wine to younger consumers through a format they actually want to drink.
• Each 12-ounce can contains 9 percent wine, 90 percent sparkling water, and natural fruit flavoring in grapefruit and lime, with pineapple and watermelon versions launching in fall.
• Four-packs retail for $14 through Target, Total Wine & More, Walmart, Albertsons, and Safeway, with on-premise distribution starting October 2026 and nationwide by January 2027.
• Gott aims to use Sauvy B as a gateway product, hoping drinkers will graduate to traditional wine at restaurants after discovering the category through this health-focused RTD.

Fifteen US sommeliers pick pricey Bordeaux bottles worth the premium

• Fifteen US restaurant and wine-shop sommeliers were asked which high-priced Bordeaux bottles justify their cost.
• Château Palmer, Château Lafleur, and La Mission Haut-Brion emerged as repeat picks for their balance of prestige, terroir, and craftsmanship over brand markup.
• Several sommeliers flagged 'Super Second' estates, including Pontet-Canet and Ducru-Beaucaillou, as offering first-growth quality at lower prices than classified first growths.
• Respondents emphasized provenance and farming precision, with Lafleur's family stewardship and Pontet-Canet's biodynamic methods cited as reasons to pay premium prices.
• One sommelier nominated Château d'Yquem, Bordeaux's celebrated dessert wine, as worth splurging on for shared occasions despite being outside the red-wine mainstream.

Canadian sparkling wine producers adopt Champagne techniques, gain style confidence

• At the 16th International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration in Niagara, July 16-19, Canadian wine writer Christopher Waters said sparkling wine producers are now applying global best practices to local conditions.
• Canadian Chardonnay, historically undervalued, is now a reliable base for sparkling wines across diverse regions: Prince Edward County, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Beamsville Bench in Ontario, and Kelowna in British Columbia.
• Producers including Tantalus Vineyards in BC adopted Champagne yeast and French winemaking methods, building distinctive texture and style rather than copying foreign models wholesale.
• Waters forecasted that within five or six years, a national sparkling wine tasting would demonstrate Canada's range and quality across all regions.

Early mowing preserves cover crops without water stress in French organic vineyards

• Researchers at seven organic vineyards in Occitanie, southern France tested four cover crop management techniques over 2022 to 2024 to balance soil health against vine water competition.
• Early intervention using mower and superficial tillage maintained cover crop benefits through winter while causing no water stress or yield loss, unlike late-season management.
• Late-season interventions and roller-crimper methods all reduced yields, berry weight and vine vigour compared to bare-soil control treatment.
• The technique works because early mowing removes competing plants before summer drought while preserving soil structure through wet winter months in Mediterranean climates.
• Results are context-dependent on soil type and microclimate, but the study suggests timed cover crop management could help organic vineyards adapt to increasing drought risk.

Wildfires within 15km of Bordeaux threaten 2024 vintage to smoke taint

• Fast-moving wildfires in France's Gironde region have advanced to within 15 kilometres of Bordeaux city, forcing 220,000 evacuations across the region.
• Smoke taint, where smoke particles cling to grape skins and create unwanted flavours, poses the primary threat to red wine quality this vintage.
• Thousands of firefighters and water-bombing aircraft are deployed, but shifting winds and drought conditions have hampered containment since midweek.
• The threat to Bordeaux's vineyards remains unclear; damage depends on fire direction, proximity to specific estates, and whether smoke reaches the harvest.
• Scientists attribute the unprecedented fire scale to climate change increasing extreme heat and drought likelihood across southern France and Spain.

Burgohondo wildfire destroys historic Garnacha vineyards in Sierra de Gredos

• The Burgohondo fire in Ávila province, Spain, has burned over 50,000 hectares since 26 July, destroying historic old-vine parcels in Sierra de Gredos, a region 150km west of Madrid renowned for Garnacha and Albillo Real.
• Bodega El Reventón lost its San Gregorio vineyard, with vines dating to the 1920s suffering extensive fire damage; Soto Manrique and Indiano Wines also lost plots, though Indiano's cleared undergrowth prevented further vineyard advance.
• Producers cannot assess total damage until fires are extinguished and access is safe; strict Spanish woodland protection laws prevent growers from clearing vegetation that fuels fires, creating a management impasse.
• Charly Gotchac, Indiano co-founder, warns August remains high-risk and calls for year-round firebreak maintenance and regional support, as the region faces economic catastrophe and generational decline.
• Bárbara Requejo, Las Pedreras co-founder, states the landscape and economy of Gredos have been profoundly transformed; no dedicated fundraising mechanism yet exists for affected wine producers.

Vineyards deploy shade netting to cool ripening fruit during heat spikes

• Shade netting, traditionally used for hail and bird protection, is now deployed to lower cluster temperature and preserve color, acidity, and phenolics during heat events.
• UC Davis research on Cabernet Sauvignon found shaded clusters had 27 percent more anthocyanins than unshaded controls when anthocyanins degrade above 35 degrees Celsius.
• At Petra estate in Tuscany, Merlot clusters under 90 percent shade nets measured 40-41 degrees Celsius versus 50 degrees in controls, cutting sunburn from 41 percent to three percent.
• Net color matters: white and green nets perform better than black nets, which absorb and re-emit heat onto fruit; nets must be kept away from clusters to avoid direct contact burn.
• Catena Zapata in Mendoza uses light netting to filter direct sun into brief pulses rather than sustained exposure, balancing phenolic development with heat stress mitigation across multiple seasons.

Grape sunburn spreads as heat waves reach new regions, forcing vineyard practice changes

• Sunburn in grapes is a stress response to excess light, ultraviolet radiation, and high berry-surface temperature, which can reach 22 to 27 degrees Fahrenheit above air temperature under direct sun.
• Two forms of damage occur: sunburn browning, mild yellowing or browning of skin, and sunburn necrosis, lethal cell death where skins crack and berries shrivel, driven primarily by extreme temperature.
• Sunburned grapes produce wine with flattened fruit, cooked and raisin flavors, astringent tannins, high alcohol, flabby acid, and notes of asphalt, creosote, and rubber that worsen with age.
• Producers in warm regions are reversing traditional canopy management: delaying or eliminating mid-summer leaf removal, limiting defoliation to one side of vines, and applying reflective kaolin clay to cool canopies by up to nine degrees Celsius.
• Chêne Bleu in Ventoux and Tyrrell's in Hunter Valley have eliminated summer leaf removal on white varieties entirely after recent heat waves caused significant sunburn damage in 2023 and prior years.

Michelin And The Death Of The Wine Guide

• Michelin's Wine Selection Burgundy 2026 awarded nine producers three grapes, 20 two grapes, 33 one grape, and 32 'selected' status.
• Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux publicly demanded removal from Michelin's guide after receiving only one grape despite being celebrated.
• Michelin rates producers based on vineyard management and consistency rather than individual wines, unlike competitor Guide Hachette des Vins which rates specific cuvées.
• Michelin acquired 100% ownership of Wine Advocate (Parker's publication) in 2019 after buying 40% in 2017, raising questions about the guide's independence.
• Consumer wine guides emerged in the 1970s but have declined since the internet and now face replacement by AI-driven apps with unclear editorial integrity.

Highlights: Gilvesy Váradi Furmint NV Szent György-Hegy, Hungary

• Gilvesy Váradi's Furmint NV blends 2021 and 2022 vintages from volcanic terroir in Balaton, Hungary at 11.5% alcohol.
• The wine displays stony minerality, crystalline lemon fruit, yellow plum and pear skin with mid-palate richness and precise acid.
• Scored 94/100 for its linear profile, dynamic character, and sophisticated tapering finish.

Wine News: What I’m Reading the Week of 7/26/26

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I

In Praise of Older White Wines

• Only 2.5 percent of white wines delivered by Octavian Wine (a major fine wine storage provider) were over 20 years old, versus 10 percent of reds.
• White Burgundy's premox crisis (early 2000s) caused unexpected oxidation in wines from 1995 vintage onward, affecting even top producers like Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, with no consensus on cause.
• University of Verona's Professor Maurizio Ugliano is mapping volatile compounds in Italian grape varieties including turbiana (Lugana) to understand how they develop complexity with age.
• The Burgundy Wine Board's six-year VOLTA study found that a white wine's aging potential is built primarily during pressing and élevage, not determined by grape variety alone.
• Holding back white wine stock costs producers approximately €6 per liter (€4.50 per bottle) in barrel, labor, storage and financing costs, creating reluctance to age inventory.

Six Wines That Stopped Me in My Tracks

• Charly, a Burgundy native, relocated to Lower Austria a decade ago and produces wines under his own label with a French sensibility using Austrian varieties.
• Charly's Blauer Portugieser 2023, made from grapes sourced from Christoph Hoch, features ripeness and creamy texture atypical of the variety.
• Charly owns one hectare and sources additional grapes from friends farming organically or biodynamically.
• Three of Charly's wines are available from Gute Weine for €27 per bottle, with EU delivery to selected countries.

Notable Releases from Troon Vineyard

• Troon Vineyard released 2025 Vermentino and 2023 Syrah from Oregon's Applegate Valley.
• Troon Vineyard farms using certified biodynamic and regenerative organic principles in Grant's Pass.
• Troon uses ambient cultures for fermentation, minimal sulfite, and neutral oak aging only.
• Applegate Valley's alluvial soils and overnight temperature drops from Siskiyou Mountains benefit Mediterranean grapes.

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 while innovating huangjiu, an ancient Chinese fermented beverage.
• Co-founder Alex Yuanzhu Wang's huangjiu with aged Chinese tangerine peel uses 80% rice and 20% grapes; Chardomi blends 80% Chardonnay with 20% glutinous rice.
• Coram's products are already stocked in over 100 restaurants and bistros across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
• Huangjiu shows its best between three and eight years of aging; most examples lose freshness after 10 years, contrary to common assumptions that older is better.

A wine of straw

• Dessert wine consumption has declined for approximately 75 years, with no expected recovery due to negative perceptions of sugar and alcohol.
• Raül Bobet, co-owner of Ferrer-Bobet in Priorat, Catalunya, Spain, released a dessert wine with a 20-year aging process driven by personal passion rather than market demand.