winefeed

Devastating Spanish wildfires threaten Sierra de Gredos wine revival

• Wildfires between July 22-26 destroyed 77,000 hectares across Ávila and Madrid provinces, which contain 85 percent of Sierra de Gredos's 2,000 vineyard hectares.
• About 200 hectares of vineyards in Cebreros DO, roughly 40 percent of registered area, suffered fire, smoke, or both damage; losses include entire vineyards and winery infrastructure.
• Bodegas Bernabeleva owner Juan Diez Bulnes lost office space, facade sections, tanks, and equipment; Bodega El Reventón's San Gregorio parcel burned but owners estimate 80-90 percent vine recovery.
• Comando G co-founder Daniel Landi's Las Iruelas single-vineyard bottling in Cebreros suffered heavy smoke exposure and will likely not be produced this vintage.
• Local producers including Landi and Juanan Martín of Rico Nuevo have submitted proposals to regional authorities requesting firebreak subsidies, vineyard planting support, and dry-stone wall restoration.

Federal THC limit threatens hemp beverage retailers ahead of 2026 enforcement

• Massachusetts retailers like Art Nergaryan saw THC-infused beverage sales jump 25-35 percent until May 2024, when state regulators banned these drinks from wine and liquor stores, forcing immediate product removal.
• The THC-infused beverage market grew 135 percent to $239 million in the year ending April 2026, but faces existential threat from incoming federal rules.
• Congress included a provision in November 2025 legislation capping THC at 0.4 milligrams per container, effective November 12 2026, which effectively bans most hemp-derived THC drinks nationwide.
• Federal law remains contradictory: the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, but the FDA declared hemp-infused foods unlawful under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, leaving states to set conflicting rules.
• Industry members including retailers, distributors, and manufacturers are navigating a patchwork of state regulations with no clear federal guidance, according to Diana Eberlein, chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives.

Silver Scope Media bids $400k for bankrupt Rogue Ales' recipes and trademarks

• Silver Scope Media Ltd, a U.K. digital marketing agency, bid $400,000 for Rogue Ales & Spirits' intellectual property nine months after parent company Oregon Brewing filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
• Rogue's IP includes its Dead Guy IPA trademark, proprietary yeast strain, recipes, manufacturing specs, website, and social media accounts; Oregon Brewing valued the full IP at $2 million.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon is accepting competing bids through August 21, with a minimum increase of $40,000 required to top Silver Scope's offer.
• 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 to rival Champagne

• Nyetimber released England's first prestige cuvée in 2018, the 1086 white and rosé at £150 and £175, after proprietor Eric Heerema acquired the West Sussex estate in 2006.
• Chapel Down's Kit's Coty Coeur de Cuvée, released 2017, is a 100% Chardonnay from the best parcels of its 40-hectare Kent chalk vineyard, aged seven years on lees, priced £126.
• Gusbourne's Fifty One Degrees North prestige cuvée launched 2022 at £195 for the 2016 vintage, with a magnum edition at £395, reflecting eight years of development by then-head winemaker Charlie Holland.
• Langham's Perpetual Blanc de Blancs, inspired by grower Champagne pioneer Anselme Selosse, uses a solera method in a 2,000L Slavonian oak foudre, with the second bottling released summer 2025 at £109.95.
• Squerryes released Patience 2014 in July 2026, its debut prestige cuvée named after 17th-century family ancestor Patience Warde, from 21 hectares of chalk soils on the 2,500-acre Kent estate.

American single malt ratification fails to lift category sales amid industry downturn

• The TTB approved a standard of identity for American single malt in December 2024 after a decade of petitioning by distillers via the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, but hoped-for sales growth has not materialized.
• Westland Distillery in Seattle lost $1 million to theft and laid off staff; Diageo wound down Distill Ventures, pushing Portland's Westward Whiskey into bankruptcy; Diageo-owned Balcones in Waco stopped production in August 2025 and cut 17 jobs.
• Ratification did help retailers create dedicated shelf space for American single malt and improved export tracking, but most consumers remain unfamiliar with the category outside connoisseur circles.
• Distillers including Virginia Distillery Company and Whiskey Del Bac are diversifying into lower-priced cask-finished variants, blended spirits, and other categories like bourbon and tequila to offset weak single malt demand.
• Consolidation in distribution and oversaturation on retail shelves have narrowed growth avenues for small producers competing against bourbon's dominant market position.

World Cup sponsorship failed to lift US beer sales despite $110 million investment

• Anheuser-Busch InBev spent $110 million on a global Michelob Ultra World Cup campaign but projected only 0.25% US volume lift, per CEO Michel Doukeris on July earnings call.
• US beer category sales fell 2.1% in dollars and 3.4% in volume for the week ending July 19, the tournament's final day, worsening from prior four-week trends.
• ABI's US depletions and shipments in Q2 2026, when half the World Cup occurred, fell 1.9% and 0.6% respectively; scan data through July 12 showed ABI portfolio down 2.3% in volume.
• On-premise draft beer sales rose 7.1% in dollars and 6.46% in volume during the tournament across BeerBoard's bar network, but gains evaporated by final week.
• Spirits outperformed beer during the same period, with the category up 4.4% in dollars and 8.4% in volume; Cutwater brand surged around 60% in the final week.

Soju surges in US market while shōchū lags behind, driven by Asian cuisine boom

• Soju grew 133 percent between 2019 and 2025 in US spirits volume, while shōchū increased only 11 percent over the same period, according to IWSR consulting director Koryn Ternes.
• Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods in Texas increased Asian spirits purchases from under $1 million in 2018 to multi-millions today, with soju driving the gains and shōchū treated as a niche product.
• Green bottle soju, sweetened and lower-alcohol mass-produced style that emerged after Korea's 1965 rice ban, dominates US exports and retail shelves, with Jinro holding the world's best-selling spirit title for 25 consecutive years.
• Craft soju makers like Tokki Soju, founded in Brooklyn in 2016, face resistance from retailers stocked with cheaper green bottle brands but report doubling annual volume growth over seven years as consumer education spreads.
• Shōchū brands iichiko and Mizu focus sales on bartenders and on-premise cocktail applications, with 80 to 85 percent of Mizu's revenue from bars and restaurants, targeting higher-proof expressions to compete with tequila and mezcal drinkers.

Chandon launches three premixed spritzes targeting early-evening aperitivo drinkers

• Chandon released Orange Peel & Spices, Lemon & Verbena, and Berries & Hibiscus ready-to-serve spritzes, replacing its earlier Garden Spritz line with sharper flavor focus.
• The Lemon and Berries variants use naturally low-alcohol sparkling wine at 6% ABV, avoiding dealcoholization, with botanical macerates layered for complexity.
• IWSR's 2025 research found premium light aperitifs gaining ground in top 20 markets, with spritzes experiencing a boost at early-evening occasions.
• Ana Paula Bartolucci, chef de caves at Chandon Argentina, and Pauline Lhote, winemaking director of Chandon California, created the collection with mixologist Inés de los Santos.
• Bottles feature lighter weight, FSC-certified labels, and no neck foil to reduce waste, signaling Chandon's response to drinker preferences.

Seven volcanic wine regions beyond Mount Etna offer complex terroir and distinctive styles

• Volcanic soils, layered by ancient eruptions across different regions, create wines marked by high acidity, salinity, and savory flavors rather than fruit-forward profiles.
• Santorini's Assyrtiko whites and Tokaji Aszú sweet wines from Hungary demonstrate how volcanic terroir expresses differently across grape varieties and styles.
• Volcanic terrain naturally resists pests and disease, enabling organic farming and preservation of old indigenous vines; Santorini holds vines over 200 years old.
• The Canary Islands' isolation from phylloxera due to volcanic disruptions preserved native varieties like Listán Blanco and Listán Negro, later revived by winemakers in the 1980s and 1990s.
• Willamette Valley's Jory volcanic soil in Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs yields red-fruit-forward Pinot Noirs, contrasting with marine sediment expressions elsewhere in the region.

Virginia emerges as quality Sauvignon Blanc region alongside Loire and Friuli

• VinePair's tasting panel sampled Sauvignon Blancs from traditional homes and new regions, scoring each on aromas, flavors, structure, balance, and typicity for a 2026 buying guide.
• Virginia's 2026 vintage delivered expressive, balanced Sauvignon Blancs that rival Loire and Friuli bottles at comparable or lower price points, signaling a shift in where drinkers source the variety.
• Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs now show more texture and depth than the flinty, angular styles of the past, reflecting evolving winemaking approaches in the grape's traditional home.
• Emerging regions including Oregon, Colorado, and Slovenia are producing compelling Sauvignon Blancs that challenge the assumption that the variety thrives only in established terroirs.
• Non-blind tastings weighted quality, price, and availability equally, emphasizing real-world drinking value over technical scores alone.

Sommelier ditches formal pairings, pairs Austrian Furmint with kebabs

• Daria Volokitina, sommelier at Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, abandoned traditional food-wine pairing rules to match sensation and emotion instead of formal categories.
• For a backyard barbecue, she chose Liszt Minimaliszt 2022, an Austrian Furmint with 10% alcohol, to refresh the palate against grilled meat and tomato pasta's richness.
• Weingut Liszt in Burgenland, Austria converts grapes to amphora-aged natural wine with no sulphur added, hand-harvested since owner Bernhard Liszt adopted organic and biodynamic farming in 2003.
• Volokitina argues wine is no longer confined to fine dining or people who 'understand' it, yet most younger drinkers still do not know what natural wine is.

Pierce's Disease Threatens 41 Percent of European Vineyards as Climate Warms

• Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium that causes Pierce's disease by blocking water transport in vines, has infected grapevines in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France since 2016.
• A 2025 study using high-resolution climate data found 41.2 percent of European vineyards are now at climate risk, up from 21.8 percent in previous models.
• Vineyard microclimates near river basins and valleys are especially vulnerable because they connect otherwise isolated areas where winter temperatures historically kept the pathogen in check.
• California growers and researchers are sharing decades of experience managing Pierce's disease with European producers, though management strategies must be tailored to local conditions.
• Early detection and rapid diagnostics remain critical: the bacterium may spread silently before symptoms appear, creating a false sense of security among growers.

Disease-resistant hybrid grapes cut fungicide use by up to 80 percent

• PIWI grapes, hybrid varieties bred for powdery and downy mildew resistance, reduce fungicide sprays from eight to 15 times yearly to two to three times, as demonstrated at Famille Ducourt in Bordeaux.
• Modern backcrossing now allows PIWI varieties to contain up to 95 percent Vitis vinifera genetic material, preserving wine quality while retaining fungal resistance from non-vinifera species.
• Genetic testing technology rhAmpSeq, pioneered by the US VitisGen initiative in 2019, accelerates disease-resistance breeding by scanning 2,000 genetic markers across thousands of vines in days instead of months.
• Germany led European adoption with 4,000 hectares of PIWI plantings in 2025, a 10 percent increase, while French breeders develop ResDur varieties that maintain regional signatures like Bordeaux character.
• A 2026 Luxembourg study showed PIWI varieties delivered twofold economic savings and threefold environmental impact reduction compared to traditional varieties, chiefly through lower spraying and improved soil health.

Why South Africa Is the Most Exciting Wine Region on the Planet, Part II

This is Part II of a lengthy piece on South African wine. Read Part I here. In Part I, I

Highlights: Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2018 England

• Nyetimber's 2018 Blanc de Blancs from England's warm vintage scored 95/100, showing 12% alcohol with 9.4 g/L residual sugar.
• The 2018 vintage marked a breakthrough point for English sparkling wine production due to favorable weather conditions.
• Nyetimber uses bottle-tracking codes allowing consumers to access precise technical details including bottling, riddling, disgorging, and dosage dates.
• The wine displays pear, white peach, and citrus on the nose with lemony focus and crystalline character on the palate.

Wine Gets a Category

• Substack launched a dedicated Wine & Spirits category on Monday, splitting it from the broader Food & Drink section to improve discoverability for wine writers and readers.
• John Malatras, Substack's Community team lead, initiated the category after frustration with wine content being buried in Food & Drink, which is dominated by cooking and recipes.
• The 9th edition of The World Atlas of Wine, by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson, and Julia Harding, ships October 6th with 18 new maps and coverage of climate change and emerging regions.
• Smith-Madrone Vineyard in Napa's Spring Mountain District used Hügelkultur, burying forest debris in trenches rather than burning, to manage wildfire fuel while sequestering carbon after the 2020 Glass Fire.
• Sommelier Bodhi Landa argues authentic margaritas require sugar to balance spirit and citrus; versions without sugar are "bitter acid and alcohol in a staring contest.".

Burgenland Winery Guide, Part 1

• Burgenland is one of Austria's warmest regions and one of few with serious red wine culture, famous for progressive viticulture.
• Blaufränkisch, Chardonnay, and Weissburgunder thrive in Leithaberg's predominantly limestone and chalk soils.
• Boris Kovacic (Sankt Margarethen) makes natural wines from old vines and field blends with no additives; Linsnwuscha 2022 and Gramuri 2022 are standouts at €15-€20.
• Georg Prieler produces terroir-focused Blaufränkisch from Marienthal and Goldberg sites, increasingly aging reds in amphora; entry wines start €12-€15, top bottlings €70+.

The taste of stone

• Jako Andabak founded Stina (commercial name Jako Vino) on Brač island in 2009 after buying out a cooperative in Bol village.
• Stina modernized the winery and planted new vineyards as part of a broader wave of well-capitalized Croatian wine projects called "Hrvatski Vrh.".
• Andabak, a hotel owner on Brač, had both capital and a ready market through his hotels to support the wine venture.
• Croatia's 2013 EU accession prompted owners to establish wineries before major agricultural changes would require Brussels approval.

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 a celebrated Vosne-Romanée house.
• Michelin rates producers based on vineyard management and consistency rather than individual wines, differing from competitor Guide Hachette des Vins.
• Michelin owns 100% of Wine Advocate (purchased 40% in 2017, acquired entirely in 2019), raising questions about guide methodology influence.
• Consumer wine guides emerged in the 1970s-1980s (Decanter, Wine Spectator, Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book, Parker's Wine Advocate) but internet access since mid-1990s displaced print formats.

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 came from inspiration during Christmas Eve 2024 after a team member enjoyed citrus beer.
• Coram's products are already listed in over 100 restaurants and bistros across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu within one year of launch.
• The 80% Chardonnay/20% glutinous rice blend (Chardomi) requires rice saccharification before co-fermenting with pressed grape juice, a different process from simple blending.
• Most huangjiu shows its best between three and eight years of aging; modern styles are fresher and cleaner than older, sweeter oxidized versions.

What I Learned at a Conference on Drinking

From the invention of moderation to the return of temperance