winefeed

Texas wines win 122 medals at Decanter Awards, named region on the rise

• At the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, Texas wineries earned 122 medals, second only to California among US states, with 62 scoring 90 points or above.
• Decanter named Texas one of five 'Regions on the Rise' following the awards, signalling international validation of the state's modern wine industry.
• Texas has roughly 600 wineries today, up from 85 in 2005, after alcohol law reforms and a new generation of winemakers drove rapid expansion.
• The Texas High Plains AVA produces 75-85% of the state's grapes, favouring Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mediterranean varieties suited to semi-arid conditions.
• Approximately 95% of Texas wine currently sells within the state; the awards recognition is expected to open distribution outside Texas as producers build export presence.

1811 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling offered at Catawiki auction

• Catawiki, an Amsterdam online marketplace, is auctioning a bottle of 1811 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling from Weingut Bassermann-Jordan in the Pfalz, estimated at €10,000, €13,000.
• The bottle is believed to be the oldest full bottle of German Riesling from a named single vineyard ever offered at European auction, remaining in the winery's cellar for over 200 years.
• It was recorked in April 2026 exclusively with wine from the same 1811 vintage, preserving its original composition without younger wine added.
• The 1811 vintage was a celebrated 'comet vintage' following poor harvests earlier in the 19th century, coinciding with the appearance of the Flaugergues comet.
• Master of Wine Anne Krebiehl described the wine as remarkably fresh and balanced when tasted at the winery's 300th anniversary celebration in 2018.

Chapel Down reports 19% sales growth driven by US expansion

• Chapel Down, England's largest winemaker, reported net sales revenue of £9.4 million for H1 2026, up 19% from £7.9 million a year earlier.
• International sales surged 66% to £0.8 million, led by US partnership with Jackson Family Wines now stocking 31 states and 250 Whole Foods locations.
• Off-trade sales rose 18% to £4.4 million, with English sparkling wine category growing double-digits and Chapel Down extending its lead.
• On-trade sales climbed 18% to £1.5 million across 2,750 unique outlets, up 6% year-on-year, while direct-to-consumer grew 4% to £2.5 million.
• The company extended its credit facility from £20 million to £25 million with a £5 million accordion option available.

Moët Hennessy returns to growth as Champagne and Cognac rebound

• LVMH's Wines & Spirits division posted 5% organic revenue growth in the first half of 2026, with operating profit climbing 11% to €582 million after two difficult years.
• Champagne showed encouraging recovery, particularly in prestige cuvées, while Moët & Chandon continued as Formula 1's official Champagne for a second season.
• Hennessy Cognac maintained positive momentum from Chinese New Year celebrations and expanded in the US with a new ready-to-serve V.S. cocktail range.
• Provence rosé wines also grew, as the division prioritized brand desirability, innovation and cost control across its portfolio.

Peter Yeung named permanent CEO of Wente Family Estates

• Peter Yeung, who served as interim CEO since January 2026, is now permanent chief executive of Wente Family Estates in Livermore Valley, California.
• Yeung oversees viticulture, winemaking, sales, marketing, and hospitality across brands including Wente Vineyards, Murrieta's Well, and newly launched Cresta Blanca.
• Before joining Wente, Yeung was vice president of strategy at Realm Cellars in Napa Valley and Kosta Browne in Sonoma, and co-authored Luxury Wine Marketing.
• The appointment follows broader leadership reshuffles: Aly Wente became chief revenue officer and Karl Wente took a new chief operating officer role.
• Founded in 1883, Wente is thought to be America's longest continuously family-owned and operated winery, operating certified sustainable vineyards across three appellations.

Bondi RTD brand Fellr goes national with Australian Vintage distribution deal

• Fellr, an alcoholic soda brand founded by Will Morgan and Andy Skora in a Bondi garage in 2020, will distribute nationally from 1 August through Australian Vintage, an ASX-listed wine and drinks company.
• Fellr makes brewed RTD sodas with natural fruit flavours ranging from 4 to 6.5 ABV, including pink lemonade, ginger beer and watermelon vodka, positioned toward youth through music, surf and fashion partnerships.
• The brand's Alfred's Apartment Lemon Squash won at The World Premix Awards 2025, and Fellr secured exclusive pours in four NSW stadiums via Venues NSW in June 2026.
• Australian Vintage CEO Tom Dusseldorp cited Fellr's consumer loyalty during competitive RTD market conditions as reason for the partnership, which aims to expand the brand's off-premise retail presence.
• Fellr plans to expand its vodka-based RTD range and launch full bottled spirits under Australian Vintage's national distribution network.

Centre-Loire appellations gain traction as Sancerre prices soar above $40

• Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc prices have risen to $40, $50, while neighboring Centre-Loire appellations, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly, and Coteaux du Giennois, sell comparable wines for $20, $30.
• Sancerre has reached production capacity with no plans to expand vineyards, according to appellation president Clément Berthier, creating supply constraints.
• Nearly three-quarters of Sancerre production is exported, half to the US, while neighboring appellations have much smaller export volumes but increasing availability.
• Winemakers across the region, including Matthieu Delaporte at Domaine Delaporte and Paul-Henry Pellé at Domaine Pellé, cite climate change forcing earlier harvests and threatening acidity retention.
• Centre-Loire Pinot Noir is gaining quality recognition as an alternative to Burgundy, with improved fruit concentration and a favorable price-to-quality ratio.

RNDC files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after shedding majority of US markets

• Republic National Distributing Company, the second-largest US wine and spirits wholesaler, filed voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas federal court after months of asset sales and market exits.
• RNDC lists liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion against assets of $500 million to $1 billion, with over 100,000 creditors and $300 million in top unsecured claims led by Proximo Spirits at $93.92 million.
• The company shed operations across multiple states starting with California in June 2025, selling 11 markets to Reyes Beverage Group and others while claiming to preserve over 5,000 jobs.
• Major suppliers including Brown-Forman, Pernod Ricard and Treasury Wine Estates departed RNDC before the bankruptcy, reflecting structural pressure on the traditional three-tier US distribution model.
• Most of RNDC's joint ventures in New York, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky remain outside the Chapter 11, with only the Alaska operation included in the filing.

Hungary launches UK roadshow to expand wine presence beyond Tokaj

• Wines of Hungary, the sector's marketing agency, hosted six-city UK roadshow in 2024-25 with masterclasses, tastings and food pairings to introduce producers to trade buyers and sommeliers.
• Hungarian producers including Sebestyén Pince Szekszárd and Gere Attila Pincészete see the UK as high-potential market, citing openness to lesser-known regions and indigenous varieties like Furmint and Kékfrankos.
• Events featured up to 36 wineries daily across six winemaking regions, positioning volcanic terroir and diversity beyond Tokaj's sweet wines as core strengths to UK restaurants and hospitality venues.
• Producers report building long-term trade relationships and gauging market niches rather than pursuing one-off sales, with plans for regular UK visits and inviting UK wine professionals to Hungary.
• Northern England and Scotland offered unexpected opportunities; UK's regional food scenes and diverse on-trade present pairing potential that Tokaj's historic dominance of Hungary's reputation had previously obscured.

Zuccardi limits Malbec bottles to build Argentine brand through London negociants

• Sebastián Zuccardi, owner of Familia Zuccardi in Argentina's Uco Valley, sells two wines through La Place in London via five negociants: Finca Canal Uco Malbec and El Camino de Las Flores 2025 Chardonnay, the latter in only 2,000-bottle batches.
• Zuccardi deliberately limits production below market demand to avoid price pressure and maintain brand positioning rather than pursue volume sales on La Place.
• The negociants' regional networks let Familia Zuccardi access Asian and American markets where its own distribution is weak, though the winery must conduct tastings and presentations itself.
• Zuccardi repositions Argentine Malbec away from the 1990s Bordeaux-style over-oaked model toward fresher, terroir-driven expressions from high-altitude mountain soils.
• Bordeaux's unsustainable post-pandemic price rises pushed negociants to stock wines from outside the region, complicating the market over the past three years.

Louis Roederer acquires Domaine Pierre Damoy, entering Burgundy for first time

• Champagne house Louis Roederer, based in Reims, completed its first Burgundy acquisition on 24 July, buying Domaine Pierre Damoy in Gevrey-Chambertin.
• The deal adds nearly eight hectares of grand cru vineyards, including parcels in Chambertin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Chapelle-Chambertin, and monopole Clos Tamisot.
• The estate joins the Roederer Collection, the family-owned producer's existing portfolio spanning France, Portugal and the United States.
• CEO Frédéric Rouzaud called the purchase a milestone timed to Louis Roederer's 250th anniversary, pledging to steward the estate while preserving the Damoy family legacy.
• The acquisition reflects Roederer's strategy to invest in premium wine regions beyond Champagne as the sector faces stock rebalancing pressures.

Restaurant markups on fine wine have tripled in 60 years, except for Champagne

• Patrick Schmitt MW compared Gleneagles Hotel's 1965 wine list to Andrew Fairlie restaurant's current offerings, adjusting for 25× inflation between 1965 and 2026.
• Krug Champagne's restaurant markup fell from 80-150% in the 1960s to 35% today, despite the bottle's absolute price rising from £79 to £325 in inflation-adjusted terms.
• Pol Roger Champagne and German Riesling Spätlese saw markups roughly triple: Pol Roger from 76% to 146%, and Riesling from 45% to 124%.
• Château Latour and d'Yquem show restaurant markups nearly doubled: Latour from 95% to 195%, and d'Yquem from 67-94% to 273%.
• Restaurant markups appear constrained on recognisable trophy brands consumers can price-check externally, but expand on lesser-known or hard-to-benchmark wines.

Manchuela DO relaxes bottling rules and expands wine styles

• Manchuela DO, the Spanish appellation in Castilla-La Mancha, approved rule changes allowing aged and matured white and rosé wines for the first time.
• Producers may now bottle wines outside the denomination's production area, removing a previous requirement that gave them greater commercial flexibility.
• Albillo Dorado was added to the list of authorised grape varieties, expanding planting options for growers within the appellation.
• The changes, published as a standard EU modification, do not alter Manchuela's geographical boundaries or its protected designation status.
• Manchuela has spent two decades building a quality reputation centred on old-vine Bobal, positioning itself against the region's historic bulk wine trade.

Perelada and Celler del Pescador earn Spanish climate certification

• Perelada winery in DO Empordà and Celler del Pescador in Empordà have been awarded Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection certification by the Spanish Wine Federation.
• Perelada's Vilafranca del Penedès winery has held the credential since 2017; the group co-founded the scheme's manifesto in 2011.
• Perelada farms all owned vineyards organically, including flagship Finca Garbet, and irrigates it entirely with reclaimed municipal wastewater.
• Perelada's 2022 winery became Europe's first to gain LEED Gold certification, using geothermal power and maximising natural light.
• Celler del Pescador's new 2025 winery sources over 90% of energy from on-site solar panels and operates a wastewater treatment facility.

Irish alcohol consumption falls to 35-year low as wine doubles

• The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland reports per-adult consumption fell 2.1% last year to 9.30 litres, down 35.6% since 2001.
• Wine volume rose 4% to 29.4% market share; beer dropped 2.7% to 42.1% despite remaining most popular.
• Ireland's consumption now matches the EU average of 10 litres per adult, ending decades as a consumption outlier.
• The Licensed Vintners Association, led by Donall O'Keefe, seeks a 10% excise cut, citing one in four pubs closed since 2005.
• Diageo invested €30 million in alcohol-free stout at St. James's Gate and plans a €200 million expansion in Co. Kildare.

English insurer Neil Utley acquires historic Château Vignelaure in Provence

• Neil Utley, English insurance entrepreneur, bought Château Vignelaure in Provence's Coteaux d'Aix on 23 July 2026, succeeding Danish-Swedish owners Mette and Bengt Sundstrøm.
• Founded by Georges Brunet in 1960, Vignelaure pioneered Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blends in Provence and inspired neighbouring Trévallon; its label was designed by Yves Saint Laurent.
• The 56-hectare estate now splits production: 40 percent rosé, 20 percent white, 40 percent red; cellar infrastructure dates mainly from 1972 and requires renovation.
• Utley plans significant vineyard replanting and cellar upgrades; winemaker Philippe Bru, in post since 2008, will remain director and pledges quality improvement without style overhaul.
• Vignelaure will add a cosmetics line using grapeseed oil and a spa, signalling diversification beyond wine as Utley's first venture into the industry.

Celebrity wine brands surge from 2005 to 2025, with 2020 marking peak launches

• Kyle MacLachlan launched Pursued by Bear in Walla Walla in 2005, marking an early entry by major actors into wine production.
• Celebrity wine brands accelerated sharply in 2020, with Kylie Minogue, Post Malone, Cameron Diaz, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige all debuting labels that year during pandemic lockdowns.
• Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Château Miraval became a flashpoint during their divorce; Pitt now holds 50 percent ownership after an eight-year legal battle.
• The category now spans rosés, sparkling wines, and organic or low-intervention releases sourced from Provence, Languedoc, Napa, Marlborough, and Italy.
• Kylie Minogue Wines became one of the U.K.'s best-selling rosé brands within years of its May 2020 launch.

Billecart-Salmon launches inaugural Ratafia from surplus grape pressings

• Billecart-Salmon, seventh-generation Champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, released its first Ratafia Champenois in spring 2026 after 208 years of operation.
• The 18% ABV fortified wine blends four vintages (2019-2022) of Pinot Noir must from biodynamic Clos Saint-Hilaire with Fine de Champagne, aged in Burgundy oak.
• The 500mL bottle retails at €58 in France; larger 5L Dame Jeanne bottles go to Michelin-starred restaurants including Alléno Paris and The Connaught Hotel London.
• Owner Mathieu Roland-Billecart created Ratafia to use second and third grape pressings, aligning with the maison's waste-reduction sustainability strategy.
• Initial production of two barrels launches in Asia-Pacific autumn 2026 at venues including Rosewood Hong Kong and Agnes Brisbane, with broader retail rollout early 2027.

Half of Napa vineyards unprofitable; survivors pivot to hospitality and direct sales.

• WineBusiness Monthly's annual survey found 50 percent of Napa vineyards reported revenue decline and 51 percent saw profit drops in the past year.
• Profitable wineries are abandoning tasting room foot traffic, instead building direct relationships through wine clubs, members-only events, and off-site hospitality experiences.
• Domaine Carneros, Chateau Montelena, and Baldacci Family Vineyards lowered tasting costs and created tiered membership options to counter luxury fatigue and bring visitors back.
• Successful producers credit growth to emotional connection and community, not product quality alone; Eleven Eleven Winery and Pestoni Family Estate prioritize staff relationships and member loyalty.
• Grape price collapse opened access to premium fruit like Beckstoffer and Hyde, previously waitlisted for decades, giving surviving producers a cost advantage on raw materials.

DWWA 2026 names five rosé winners spanning England, Croatia, Spain, Italy

• Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 awarded medals to 359 rosés across eight French regions plus international entries, signalling the category's global reach and diversity.
• Rosé colour and character depend on skin-contact duration: brief pressing yields pale Provençal styles, while longer maceration produces darker, fruit-driven wines with different aging potential.
• Five standout winners include Winding Wood Rosé Brut from Berkshire, England (97 points), and Ante Sladić Opol Lasina from Croatia (96 points), showing cool-climate and indigenous-grape rosés gaining recognition.
• Spanish Rioja and Italian oak-aged rosés now age seriously like reds; other producers use indigenous grapes to give regional identity rather than copying Provence's pale-dry template.
• Rosé is a winemaking technique, not a place or single colour, with distinct styles from southern Rhône, Spain, Italy, England and Croatia each reflecting terroir and method.

New York public housing complex paves playgrounds with 450,000 recycled wine corks

• Public Housing Community Fund partnered with Cork Collective, Rockwell Group, and Amorim to build pathways and playgrounds from upcycled corks at Marlboro Houses in Brooklyn.
• Cork Collective sourced 450,000 wine bottle corks from New York restaurants, ground them, mixed with adhesive, and laid them as walking and play surfaces.
• Children living at Marlboro Houses submitted designs for the playspaces, which were incorporated into the final $500,000 renovation overseen by nonprofits and residents.
• Cork surfaces absorb stormwater to reduce flooding, contain no toxins unlike plastic or rubber, and lower ambient temperature by 20 to 30 percent.
• Globally 13 billion cork stoppers are made yearly but less than one percent are recycled; three billion are discarded annually in the US alone.

EU Quality Labels Help Consumers Identify Authentic Sparkling Wines

• The European Union certifies sparkling wines with PDO, PGI, and Organic labels to guarantee origin, production method, quality, and sustainability practices.
• PDO sparkling wines like Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and Austrian Sekt must be fully produced within a single designated region using traditional methods.
• PGI sparkling wines require only one production stage in their region, allowing winemakers flexibility in grape sourcing and technique, exemplified by Italian Super Tuscan sparklers.
• EU Organic certification confirms grapes grown without synthetic pesticides, supporting biodiversity and terroir expression, though the label cannot appear on U.S. bottles due to lack of mutual recognition.
• These labels connect each bottle to its region's history, geography, and winemakers, helping consumers make informed choices about authentic European sparkling wines.

Independent wine shop owner Di Camillo wins inaugural sustainability buyer award

• Di Camillo, owner of Wine & Such independent shop, won the first Sustainable Wine Buyer award from Decanter's Wine Buyers Awards in 2025.
• The judging panel found her sourcing model threaded sustainability through every decision, from wine selection to producer relationships, not just single initiatives.
• Majestic won the Sustainable Drinks Buying Team of the Year award in the same inaugural category.
• A significant proportion of competition entrants omitted the sustainability section entirely, suggesting many buyers do not yet view it as core to their role.

Trinchero releases Sauvy B, wine spritzer with electrolytes for younger drinkers

• Trinchero Family Wine and Spirits, third largest U.S. wine supplier, launched Sauvy B, a ready-to-drink wine spritzer in 12-ounce cans at 4.5 percent ABV with added Himalayan salt electrolytes.
• Winemaker Joel Gott, whose brands Joel Gott Wines and Three Thieves are owned by Trinchero, designed Sauvy B to introduce younger consumers to wine through a health-conscious, low-alcohol format.
• Each can contains 9 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 90 percent sparkling water, and natural citrus flavoring, with grapefruit and lime as inaugural flavors and pineapple and watermelon versions expected this fall.
• Sauvy B costs $14 for a four-pack and launches in Target, Total Wine & More, Walmart nationwide and Albertsons and Safeway in southern California and Texas by week's end.
• Gott positioned Sauvy B as a gateway product, hoping younger drinkers who favor malt- and spirits-based RTDs will eventually graduate to traditional wine purchased at restaurants.

Korean men's high-risk drinking falls; women over 30 drink more

• Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's 2025 Community Health Survey of 230,000 adults found high-risk drinking fell across all male age groups between 2016 and 2025, while rising in every female age group except women in their 20s.
• Women over 30 drove the increase, possibly due to expanded social dining, home drinking becoming normalised, and changing social attitudes toward women's alcohol consumption.
• Men still dominate problematic drinking: over half of men in their 30s, 40s and 50s binge drink, and more than one in five men aged 40-50 drink at high-risk levels.
• Young Koreans show growing interest in sobriety, with non-alcoholic beer spending up nearly a third in three years and overall household alcohol spending at a seven-year low.
• Soju shipments fell 13.4% between 2019 and 2025, from 916,000 to 793,000 kilolitres, reflecting a broader national shift away from drinking culture.

Canadian sparkling wine producers adopt European techniques, build distinctive style

• At the 16th International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration in Niagara, Ontario, 16-19 July, wine writer Christopher Waters argued Canadian sparkling wine is entering a pivotal phase of development.
• Waters credited Canada's cool climate, Chardonnay quality, and knowledge transfer from global winemaking regions as drivers enabling producers to build distinctive texture and style in the cellar.
• Tantalus Vineyards in Kelowna, BC, exemplifies the shift: winemaker David Paterson adopted Champagne yeast exclusively after studying French technique to match his intended style.
• Canadian sparkling wines now display diverse regional character across Ontario and BC, from matchstick and flint notes to brioche and lemon biscotti, reflecting terroir variation.
• Waters predicted that widespread adoption of refined sparkling wine methods will make Canadian fizz compelling within five or six years, contingent on industry and consumer support.

Early mowing preserves cover crops without stressing vines in drought

• Researchers at seven organic vineyards in Occitanie, France tested four methods of managing service crops between vine rows over 2022-2024.
• Early intervention using a mower combined with shallow tillage, timed around budburst, maintained soil benefits without reducing yield or causing water stress.
• Late interventions and roller-crimper methods all reduced yields, berry weight and vine vigour compared to bare soil control.
• The technique addresses competition between cover crops and vines for water during Mediterranean dry summers while preserving soil anchoring through winter.
• Results are context-dependent on soil type and microclimate, but suggest a timing-based solution for organic vineyards adapting to heatwaves.

Wildfires force evacuations near Bordeaux; smoke taint threatens vintage

• Wildfires in France's Gironde region have advanced to within 15 kilometres of Bordeaux city, forcing 220,000 evacuations across southern France since midweek.
• Smoke taint, when particles cling to grape skins and alter flavour, poses a major risk to Bordeaux's 2024 vintage, particularly red varieties.
• Around 55,000 people evacuated from wine-producing villages south of Gironde on Saturday night as fast-moving fires spread across the Atlantic coast region.
• Hot, dry conditions and shifting winds have hampered firefighting efforts; Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas urged tourists to avoid the region until the situation improves.
• Scientists attribute the scale and intensity of European wildfires to climate change; Spain has declared a national emergency with over 330,000 evacuated.

Vineyard netting emerges as climate tool to cool grape clusters during heat

• Growers in California, Argentina, Italy, and France are using shade netting to lower cluster-zone temperatures and preserve berry color and acidity during heat events, moving beyond traditional bird and hail protection.
• A 2022 UC Davis trial on Cabernet Sauvignon found shaded clusters had 27 percent greater anthocyanins than unshaded fruit when temperatures exceeded the 35-degree threshold where color compounds degrade.
• At Petra estate in Tuscany, netting reduced Merlot cluster temperatures from roughly 50 degrees Celsius to 40-41 degrees, dropping sunburn incidence from 40-41 percent to as low as three percent under 90 percent shade.
• Net color and placement matter critically: white and green nets perform better than black, and nets must be kept away from clusters to avoid heat reflection; Boroli in Barolo found one-sided coverage on south-facing rows prevented trapping heat.
• Catena Zapata in Mendoza and other estates are conducting multi-season trials to balance filtered light exposure, needed for phenolic development, against heat stress, testing shade levels from 15 to 90 percent.

Grape sunburn spreads north as heat waves arrive earlier and further

• Sunburn occurs when berry surface temperatures exceed 104-109°F under high light, causing chlorophyll and aromatic compounds to degrade and producing aromas of asphalt, creosote, and cooked fruit.
• Joanna Gambetta, wine scientist at University of Newcastle Australia, found that early defoliation at flowering builds photoprotective compounds in berries, while late defoliation at veraison increases sunburn risk.
• Producers in Provence and Napa are abandoning mid-summer leaf removal and east-side exposure; Tyrrell's in Hunter Valley applies kaolin clay to cool canopy by up to 9°C Celsius.
• Steve Matthiasson, winemaker at Matthiasson Wines Napa Valley, identifies sunburned grapes by cooked flavors, light color with brown rim, high alcohol, and flabby acid, faults that worsen with age.
• Laura Iverson at Chêne Bleu in Ventoux stopped all summer leaf removal on white varieties after a 40°C heat wave in 2023 caused shriveling and stalled ripening.

Heat-Tolerant Mourvèdre Struggles as Southern France Grows Too Hot

• Mourvèdre, long prized in Bandol for heat tolerance, now faces excessive temperature and drought that threaten vine survival and wine balance.
• Producers in Bandol and Jumilla are adapting canopy management, raising gobelet vines, and planting cover crops to shade grapes and retain soil moisture.
• Even heat-tolerant varieties require moderation; Mourvèdre thrives only when heat is tempered by altitude or sea breezes, a balance climate change is disrupting.
• A three-year drought in Jumilla from 2022 to 2024 killed old bush vines, forcing some growers to irrigate for survival despite tradition of dry farming.
• Bandol rosé production, currently 75 percent of output, may decline as cooler sites shift to red wine production to cope with warming.

"There's Always a New Wave"

• Rioja's new-wave winemakers reject traditional aging designations (crianza, reserva, gran reserva), bottling instead as cosecha or genérico to preserve fruit and freshness.
• New-wave Rioja prioritizes terroir, higher-altitude cool wines, organic/biodynamic farming, and multi-grape blends over oak-aged monovarietal tempranillo.
• Sandra Bravo of Sierra de Toloño (first vintage 2012) and Oxer Bastegieta exemplify producers eschewing barrel aging to showcase Rioja's ancient vineyards.
• Álvaro Palacios, a 1990s Priorat revolutionary, presented his 2023 Quiñón de Valdelareina from 103-year-old garnacha vines at Rioja's centennial gala.
• Artuke's 2023 'La Condenada,' a field blend from 1920 vines, was the sole new-wave wine served at the gala among classic Riojas.

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

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 2023, made from grapes sourced from Christoph Hoch, offers ripeness, vivid fruit, and creamy texture unusual for the variety.
• Charly owns one hectare and sources grapes from friends farming organically or biodynamically.
• Three of Charly's wines (Grüner Veltliner 2022, Blaufränkisch 2023, Zweigelt 2023) are available from Gute Weine for €27 a bottle, with delivery to selected EU countries.

Notable Releases from Troon Vineyard

• Troon Vineyard released 2025 Vermentino and 2023 Syrah from Oregon's Applegate Valley.
• Troon Vineyard farms biodynamic and regenerative organic certified vineyards in Grant's Pass, western Applegate Valley.
• Troon uses ambient cultures for fermentation, minimal sulfite at bottling, and avoids new oak aging.
• Applegate Valley's alluvial soils, Mediterranean grapes, long summer days, and cold mountain nights create ideal ripening conditions.

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

• Coram Collective, founded in 2023 with production from 2024, co-ferments rice wine with grape varieties like Chardonnay and Merlot, and innovates huangjiu (yellow wine).
• Co-founder Alex Yuanzhu Wang's huangjiu with aged Chinese tangerine peel came from a Christmas Eve 2024 moment when colleagues wanted refreshing beer after steaming rice.
• Coram's products are listed in over 100 bars and restaurants across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu within one year of launch.
• Huangjiu typically shows best between three and eight years of aging; misconceptions include confusing it with cooking wine and assuming older always means better.
• Chardomi blends 80% Chardonnay grapes with 20% glutinous rice through a process where rice undergoes saccharification before co-fermenting with freshly pressed grape juice.

A wine of straw

• Dessert wine consumption has declined for approximately 75 years and shows no signs of recovery.
• Raül Bobet, co-owner of Ferrer-Bobet in Priorat, Catalunya, released a dessert wine with a 20-year aging process.
• Goût Russe Champagne from the 19th century contained 300g/l of sugar, far exceeding modern dessert wines.