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Federal THC limit crushes hemp-drink retail surge across US states

• THC-infused beverage sales rose 135 percent to $239 million in the year to April 2026, driven by retailer adoption in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Georgia, and Tennessee.
• Massachusetts retailer Art Nergaryan saw revenue jump 25 to 35 percent after stocking hemp drinks, but state regulators banned them from wine and liquor stores in May 2024.
• Congress included a provision in November 2025 legislation to limit total hemp THC to 0.3 milligrams per container, effective November 12, 2026, which effectively bans all THC-infused beverages.
• The market operates in a legal gray area: federal law prohibits hemp-beverage sales under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, while state rules vary wildly from embrace to outright ban.
• Diana Eberlein, chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives, says the patchwork of state rules without federal clarity blocks industry growth and legitimacy.

Silver Scope Media bids $400k for bankrupt Rogue Ales' intellectual property

• U.K. digital marketing agency Silver Scope Media Ltd offered $400,000 for Rogue Ales & Spirits' intellectual property nine months after parent company Oregon Brewing filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
• IP assets include the Dead Guy IPA trademark, website, recipes, manufacturing specs, proprietary yeast strains, and social media accounts; Oregon Brewing valued the IP at $2 million.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon is accepting competing bids through August 21, with a minimum increment of $40,000 required to top Silver Scope's offer.
• Oregon-based Valley View Winery objected to the sale, claiming a perpetual license to Rogue's wine and wine-based beverages under a 1997 settlement agreement.
• A hearing on the IP sale and objections is scheduled for August 26.

English estates launch prestige cuvées priced with premium Champagne

• Nyetimber released England's first prestige cuvée, the 1086 range, in 2018 at £150, £175, modelled on Dom Pérignon's concept and aged seven years on lees.
• Chapel Down's Kit's Coty Coeur de Cuvée (2013 vintage debut, £126 for 2016 release) and Gusbourne's Fifty One Degrees North (2022 launch at £195 for 2016 vintage) followed, establishing a tier of English sparkling wines priced above standard releases.
• Langham released Perpetual Blanc de Blancs in June 2025 at £109.95 using a solera-style multi-vintage blend inspired by grower Champagne; Squerryes launched Patience 2014 in July 2026, completing a cohort of five prestige cuvées.
• All five estates emphasise extended lees ageing (seven to eight years minimum), chalk soils, and selection of finest vineyard parcels as hallmarks justifying premium pricing alongside Champagne.

Ancient vine-training systems fade as labor costs and mechanization reshape European wine regions

• Alberata vines once common around Naples are nearly extinct, replaced by mechanizable systems like Guyot and vertical shoot positioning.
• Lanzarote's hoyo system survives because tourists visit to see its volcanic landscape, supporting winegrower commitment despite severe labor demands.
• Between 2000 and 2026, Lanzarote's active vineyard area fell 19 percent as labor costs and low planting density made hoyos economically marginal.
• Familia Torres uses specialized machinery to reduce labor on Rías Baixas pergolas, demonstrating how tool adaptation can sustain traditional systems where market demand exists.
• Bellussera pergolas in Veneto cover only 9 percent of Piave DOC but may revive if climate resilience and wine tourism create new economic value.

Centre-Loire appellations gain ground as Sancerre prices soar past $40

• Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc now sells for $40, $50, but neighboring Centre-Loire appellations offer similar quality for $20, $30.
• Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly, and Coteaux du Giennois are seeing rising exports as Sancerre hits production ceiling.
• Sancerre produces three-quarters of its wine for export, with half bound for the US, leaving smaller appellations underexposed but available.
• Centre-Loire winemakers are experimenting with abandoned grape varieties to preserve acidity as harvests arrive earlier due to climate change.
• Pinot Noir from the region is improving in quality and offers better value than Burgundy, according to producers including Domaine Delaporte.

World Cup sales boost fails to reverse beer industry's steep decline

• Anheuser-Busch InBev spent $110 million on Michelob Ultra World Cup marketing in 2026, projecting only 0.25 percent volume lift from the campaign.
• US beer category sales fell 2.1 percent in dollars and 3.4 percent in volume year-over-year for the final week of the tournament, worse than prior benchmarks.
• On-premise draft beer sales rose 7.1 percent in dollars and 6.46 percent in volume during the tournament across BeerBoard's tracked accounts, but declined in the final week.
• Off-premise scan data from Circana showed ABI's American portfolio down 2.3 percent in volume for four weeks through July 12, despite the tournament's peak.
• Spirits grew 4.4 and 8.4 percent in dollars and volume year-over-year in the tournament's final week, with Cutwater up around 60 percent, as beer lost momentum.

Soju surges in U.S. market as distinct category, shōchū follows slower growth path

• Soju grew 133 percent between 2019 and 2025 to under one percent of U.S. spirits volume, driven by younger consumers, Korean cultural interest, fruity flavors, and lower alcohol content.
• Shōchū grew only 11 percent over the same period, remaining a niche category despite strong sales in Japan, according to IWSR consulting director Koryn Ternes.
• Mass-produced green bottle soju from brands like Jinro dominates U.S. exports and retail shelves, while craft soju producers like Tokki Soju struggle for shelf space in Korean American establishments.
• Shōchū brands iichiko and Mizu focus on bars and on-premise sales, targeting bartenders with higher-proof expressions suited to classic cocktails, rather than competing in retail.
• Asian cuisine growth in the U.S. has opened trial moments for soju and shōchū on-premise, with drinkers willing to experiment when familiar with the food culture.

DISCUS pushes US spirits exports as tariffs wall off major markets

• The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) is working to expand exports with a $900,000 USDA grant, but tariffs imposed by Canada, Brazil, the EU, and others have cut US alcohol sales abroad significantly.
• Canada removed US spirits from most provincial shelves in retaliation for Trump tariffs, cutting US alcoholic beverage sales there by 81 percent according to White House figures.
• India's 100 percent tariff on US spirits disadvantages American whiskey against Irish and Scotch competitors, which now face 40 percent tariffs following new trade deals with the EU and UK.
• Vietnam's cocktail bars and whiskey collectors represent growth potential for US exports, though the market is currently dominated by high-end Scotch, including collector bottles worth millions.
• Argentina signed a free trade agreement with the Trump Administration this year, but limited consumer awareness of American whiskey and its association with mixed drinks rather than neat spirits hampers sales growth.

Manhatta wine director names five summer bottles for New York heat

• Sydney Fusto, wine director at Manhatta in Manhattan's Financial District, recommends high-acid wines to refresh the palate during New York summers.
• Fusto pairs Sauvignon Blanc with citrus, cilantro, and raw bar fare; she pours Dog Point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024 by the glass at Manhatta.
• For grilled meats, Fusto favors darker rosés and chillable reds with soft tannins, including Tiberio Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2023 and Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol 2024.
• Fusto recommends Domaine Giacometti 'Sempre Cuntenu' 2024, a chillable Corsican red made from Sciacarello, as a value option for warm-weather drinking.

Eleven US sommeliers name the most overrated red wines

• Andrew Principe of Dirty Dime Productions in New Orleans flagged Amarone della Valpolicella for inconsistent quality despite high prices, noting only a few producers merit trust.
• Dimitrios Karagiannis, wine director at Babbo in New York City, blamed Cabernet Sauvignon producers for chasing power with heavy oak and high alcohol, inflating prices based on prestige rather than what's in the glass.
• Amy Racine at JF Restaurants in New York City and Eliza Perkins at La Jetée in Baltimore recommend Spanish wines like Ribera del Duero and Cahors Malbec as delivering similar quality at lower prices than California and Argentine counterparts.

Young sommeliers reshape wine as casual, approachable, emotion-driven

• Daria Volokitina, sommelier at Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, paired Austrian Furmint with grilled kebabs by focusing on sensations and emotions rather than formal pairing rules.
• Alex Padilla at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa uses his age and social media presence to show younger customers that wine is approachable and exciting, not exclusive.
• Both reject the idea that wine requires expertise or formal settings, instead emphasizing transparency, drinkability, and finding the right bottle for any occasion.
• Natural wines and lesser-known regions like Austrian Burgenland are gaining traction among Gen Z trade workers who see them as alternatives to traditional fine wine hierarchies.
• Young professionals entering the wine industry say their biggest goal is helping all ages, especially younger people, view wine as something worth exploring casually.

Pierce's Disease Threatens 41% of European vineyards as climate warms

• Xylella fastidiosa bacterium, which causes Pierce's disease in grapevines, has infected vines in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France since first appearing in Europe on olives in 2013.
• A 2025 study using high-resolution climate data found 41.2 percent of European vineyards now face climate risk, up from 21.8 percent in previous models, due to warming and river-valley microclimates.
• California researchers including Olakunle Olawole, assistant professor at UC Riverside, are sharing decades of outbreak management lessons with Europe on early detection and vector control.
• Eduardo Moralejo, plant pathologist at Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics in Mallorca, warns the bacterium may spread silently before symptoms appear, creating false security until it is established.
• European countries lack unified communication and reporting requirements; California's experience shows early disclosure and vector management slow spread better than eradication alone once the pathogen is widespread.

Disease-resistant hybrid grapes cut fungicide sprays by 80 percent across Europe

• PIWIs, fungus-resistant hybrid grapes bred by crossing American and European vines, reduce fungicide sprays from 8-15 times yearly to 2-3 times for powdery and downy mildew.
• Rapid genetic testing technology rhAmpSeq, pioneered by US researchers in 2019, identifies exact locations of disease-resistance genes, enabling faster breeding and stacking multiple protective layers.
• Germany leads Europe with 4,000 hectares of PIWI plantings in 2025, ten percent growth on the previous year, accounting for four percent of total German vineyard area.
• A 2026 Luxembourg study showed PIWIs delivered twofold economic savings and threefold environmental benefit versus traditional varieties, chiefly through reduced spraying, fuel, and labor costs.
• France's ResDur program crosses PIWI varieties with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to develop disease-resistant hybrids while preserving Bordeaux's distinctive character in experimental plots beginning 2025.

Vineyards deploy netting to cool grape clusters and preserve ripening balance

• Growers in California, Argentina, Italy, and Piedmont are using shade netting to lower cluster-zone temperatures and prevent heat damage to color and acidity during ripening.
• A 2022 UC Davis trial on Cabernet Sauvignon showed shaded clusters had 27 percent more anthocyanins than unshaded controls, as the pigments degrade above 35 degrees Celsius.
• Catena Zapata in Mendoza uses hail netting on 90 percent of vineyards, benefiting from filtered light pulses; a new multi-year trial compares 17 percent, 50 percent, and zero shade nets.
• Petra estate in Tuscany reduced sunburn in Merlot from 41 percent to 3 percent using 90 percent shade nets, but net color matters: white and green nets outperformed black ones.
• Boroli in Barolo found that netting placement and density require precision; heated fabric touching grapes causes burn, and excessive shade can trap heat and overheat fruit instead.

Maker's Mark Releases Fourth Cellar Aged, Raising Bourbon Age to 14 Years

• Maker's Mark announced the 2026 Cellar Aged expression, blending 49 percent 11-year-old, 33 percent 12-year-old, and 18 percent 14-year-old bourbons at 112.1 proof.
• The fourth edition marks the distillery's oldest release to date, with 14-year bourbon accounting for more than in prior years' blends.
• The distillery finishes maturation in a limestone cavern at Loretto, Kentucky maintained at 50 degrees Fahrenheit, slowing wood influence while allowing flavor evolution.
• Blake Layfield, Maker's Mark master distiller, prioritizes balancing maturity with youth, using younger bourbons' vibrancy to amplify the 14-year blend's depth.
• The whiskey releases September 1 at $175 suggested retail, with international availability beginning later in 2026 and early 2027.

Exploring the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine region (1) introduction

• Hunter Valley became Australia's oldest wine region in 1828 and was the largest in the 19th century; now it has 2,600 hectares with 150 wineries.
• Hunter Valley Semillon is iconic: picked early at ~11% alcohol, fermented in stainless steel to crisp, bright wine that develops toasty, complex aromas with bottle age.
• Maurice O'Shea established Mount Pleasant in 1921 and became a revered Australian winemaker, fashioning sought-after red table wines during an era focused on fortifieds.
• Tyrrell's Vat 47 (1971) claims to be Australia's first commercial Chardonnay; their HVD vineyard, planted 1908, holds some of the world's oldest Chardonnay vines.
• Semillon dominates plantings at just over 30%, followed by Shiraz; alternative varieties like Albariño, Fiano, and Nero d'Avola show promise in the region.

Wine News: What I’m Reading the Week of 8/16/26

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

The taste of stone

• Jako Andabak acquired a struggling cooperative in Bol on the island of Brač in 2009 and founded Stina (commercially known as Jako Vino), modernizing the winery and planting new vineyards.
• Stina's early wines were big and bold, presented at Zagreb Wine Gourmet Weekend in April 2012, signaling serious ambitions for the newly revived project.
• Andabak, a hotel owner on Brač, possessed both capital and a built-in market through his hotels to support the winery's establishment and growth.
• A wave of well-funded 'Hrvatski Vrh' wineries emerged across Croatia during financial crisis, concentrated on the Dalmatian coast, backed by owners with international experience and significant monetary resources.

Who's Afraid of Volatile Wines?

• EU law limits volatile acidity to 1.2 g/L for red wines and 1.08 g/L for white wines; violations have triggered destruction orders and producer penalties.
• Sébastien David (Loire) had 2,000+ bottles of Cabernet Franc destroyed in 2019 for exceeding VA limits; a petition against the decision garnered nearly 175,000 signatures.
• The EU's 1.2 g/L VA limit dates to 1979 and lacks clear scientific justification; vinegar becomes unsafe only above 40 g/L, leaving a large unregulated gap.
• The US permits 1.4 g/L VA for red wines (1.7 g/L for super-ripe fruit), and the EU's 2025 exceptions list allows up to 2.4 g/L for 400+ appellations including Amarone and Tokaji.
• Orange wines must comply with white wine VA limits (1.08 g/L) despite their skin-fermentation producing tannin and VA levels similar to reds.

Michelin And The Death Of The Wine Guide

• Michelin's Wine Selection Burgundy 2026 awarded nine producers three grapes, 20 vignerons 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 a celebrated Vosne-Romanée house.
• Michelin rates wine producers based on vineyard management and consistency rather than individual cuvées, differing from competitor Guide Hachette des Vins.
• Michelin acquired Wine Advocate entirely in 2019 after purchasing a 40% share in 2017, raising questions about the publication's influence on ratings.
• The launch marks the end of the consumer wine guide era that began in the 1970s; guides face obsolescence due to internet access and AI-driven apps.

Notable Releases from Troon Vineyard

• Troon Vineyard released 2025 Vermentino and 2023 Syrah from Oregon's Applegate Valley.
• Troon Vineyard, in Grant's Pass, farms using certified biodynamic and regenerative organic practices.
• Troon ferments with ambient cultures, uses minimal sulfite at bottling, and ages in neutral vessels instead of new oak.
• Applegate Valley's high-latitude location provides long summer days with heat, offset by overnight temperature drops from Siskiyou Mountain winds.

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

• Coram Collective, founded in 2023 with 2024 production, co-ferments rice wine with grape varieties like Chardonnay and Merlot, and innovates huangjiu (yellow wine).
• Co-founder Alex Yuanzhu Wang's Coram products are already listed in over 100 restaurants and bistros across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.
• Chardomi blends 80% Chardonnay grapes with 20% glutinous rice; rice undergoes soaking, steaming, and saccharification before co-fermenting with pressed grape juice.
• Most huangjiu drinks best between three and eight years of aging; older does not always mean better, and many styles decline after 10 years.
• Common huangjiu misconception: it is cooking wine. Quality huangjiu is a complex fermented beverage meant for drinking, while 'cooking wine' is lower-grade huangjiu with added salt.

What I Learned at a Conference on Drinking

• An invitation-only drinking studies conference at Dublin's Museum of Literature Ireland brought together academics from Canada, Poland, UK, and Ireland to study alcohol as cultural and social practice.
• Researching drinking history is extremely difficult because the practice was so ubiquitous that ordinary people's habits were rarely documented; historical records focus on aberrant behavior or aristocrats.
• Ireland's 2018 Public Health (Alcohol) Act introduced minimum unit pricing, supermarket barriers, advertising restrictions, and cancer warning labels, the latter pushed back to September 2028 due to international trade pressure from Spain and Italy.
• Alcohol restrictions historically paralleled colonial justifications used against Irish and Polish populations, raising concerns that public health measures can function as social control.