winefeed

Federal 0.4mg THC limit to upend nascent hemp beverage retail market

• Congress passed legislation in November 2025 capping hemp-derived THC at 0.4 milligrams per container, effective November 12, 2026, effectively banning THC-infused beverages nationwide.
• The THC-infused beverage market reached $239 million in US retail sales in the 52 weeks prior to April 2026, up 135 percent, with industry experts valuing potential market at $9.9 billion to $14.9 billion.
• Art Nergaryan, owner of Art's Specialties with four Massachusetts locations, saw sales jump 25 to 35 percent after stocking THC drinks until state regulators banned their sale in wine and liquor stores in May 2024.
• States have enacted conflicting rules: Minnesota, Georgia, and Tennessee permit hemp beverages while California, Washington, and Vermont restrict or ban them outside licensed cannabis systems.
• The FDA has ruled interstate commerce in hemp-derived THC beverages unlawful under federal law since 2018, creating a legal gray area that the November 2025 cap aims to resolve.

English estates launch prestige cuvées priced to rival Champagne

• Nyetimber pioneered England's prestige cuvée market in 2018, releasing white and rosé at £150, £175, matching top Champagne prices.
• Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Langham and Squerryes have since launched their own super-premium bottlings, all priced above £100 and aged seven years or more on lees.
• These cuvées source from single vineyard parcels and select only exceptional vintages, mirroring Champagne's positioning strategy and production discipline.
• The releases span 2017 to 2026, with Gusbourne's Fifty One Degrees North reaching £395 for magnums, signalling sustained demand at the high end.
• English estates now compete directly with prestige Champagne on price, production rigour and narrative heritage rather than geography alone.

American single malt ratification fails to lift sales amid broader whiskey downturn

• The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved a standard of identity for American single malt in December 2024, ending a decade-long push by distillers; hoped-for sales growth has not materialized.
• Major producers including Westland Distillery, Westward Whiskey, and Balcones Distillery have laid off staff or ceased production as demand fell short of projections in an oversaturated market.
• Retailers have created dedicated American single malt shelf sections following ratification, and export tracking improved, but consumer awareness remains limited outside connoisseur circles.
• Distillers including Virginia Distillery Company and Whiskey Del Bac have diversified into lower-priced single malts, other spirits, and blended products to offset sluggish core category sales.
• Industry leaders attribute slow uptake to difficult economic conditions and bourbon's entrenched position, noting education and distribution remain substantial obstacles for smaller producers.

World Cup failed to lift US beer sales despite $110 million marketing push

• Anheuser-Busch InBev spent $110 million on a global Michelob Ultra campaign for the 2026 World Cup, projecting only 0.25% US volume growth from the effort.
• 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, worse than prior four-week and year-to-date trends.
• ABI's US beer depletions and shipments in Q2 2026, when half the World Cup occurred, were down 1.9% and 0.6% respectively; scan data showed its portfolio down 0.7% in dollars and 2.3% in volume through mid-July.
• On-premise draft beer sales rose 7.1% in dollars and 6.46% in volume during the tournament across BeerBoard's network, but declined in the final week as the event ended.
• Spirits outperformed beer during the tournament, with the category up 4.4% in dollars and 8.4% in volume in the final week, led by ready-to-drink brands Cutwater, Surfside, and Sun Cruiser.

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

• U.K. digital marketing agency Silver Scope Media Ltd bid $400,000 for Rogue Ales & Spirits' intellectual property nine months after parent company Oregon Brewing filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
• Rogue's IP includes the Dead Guy IPA trademark, recipes, yeast strains, website domain, and social media accounts; Oregon Brewing valued the total IP at $2 million.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for District of Oregon accepts competing bids through Aug. 21, requiring offers to exceed Silver Scope's by at least $40,000.
• Oregon-based Valley View Winery objected to the sale, claiming it holds a perpetual license to Rogue wine and wine-based beverages under a 1997 settlement agreement.
• Oregon Brewing cited $17 million in debts against $5 million in assets when it shut its distillery, taprooms, and laid off staff in early 2024.

Soju surges past shōchū in U.S. market as Asian spirits gain ground

• Soju increased 133 percent between 2019 and 2025, while shōchū grew only 11 percent over the same period, reflecting their divergent U.S. market trajectories.
• Green bottle soju, sweetened and lower-alcohol mass-produced style, dominates U.S. imports; Jinro brand has held world's best-selling spirit title for 25 consecutive years.
• Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods in Texas grew Asian spirits purchases from under $1 million in 2018 to multi-millions by 2025, driven by younger consumers and Korean cultural interest.
• Craft soju brands like Tokki Soju, founded 2016 in Brooklyn, are emerging as consumers mature; Tokki doubled volume annually for seven years before recent plateau.
• Shōchū brands iichiko and Mizu focus on bartender relationships and higher-proof expressions for cocktails, with on-premise sales accounting for 80 to 85 percent of volume.

Chandon launches three ready-to-serve spritzes targeting aperitivo boom

• Chandon released Orange Peel & Spices, Lemon & Verbena, and Berries & Hibiscus ready-to-serve spritzes, replacing its earlier Garden Spritz line.
• IWSR's 2025 research shows premium-plus light aperitifs are gaining in top 20 markets, with spritzes popular at early-evening occasions.
• Lemon and Berries variants use naturally low-alcohol sparkling wine at 6% ABV, with botanical macerates from dried fruits, spices, herbs, and flowers including gentian and artichoke.
• Ana Paula Bartolucci, chef de caves at Chandon Argentina, and Pauline Lhote, winemaking director at Chandon California, created the trio with Buenos Aires mixologist Inés de los Santos.
• New bottles use lighter glass, FSC-certified labels, and no neck foil to reduce packaging waste.

Seven volcanic regions beyond Etna produce distinctive mineral wines

• Volcanic soils worldwide create high-acidity, saline, mineral-driven wines with savory rather than fruity character, from Santorini's Assyrtiko to Willamette Valley's Pinot Noir.
• Santorini, located in the Hellenic Volcanic Arc and due for major eruption within 20 years, preserves vines over 200 years old; basket-trained vines protect against wind and debris in the dry climate.
• Canary Islands winemakers revived indigenous varieties Listán Blanco and Listán Negro from the 1980s onward, preserved because phylloxera never arrived and volcanic isolation protected native grapes.
• Volcanic terrain demands unconventional farming: Lanzarote producers hand-dig individual holes called hoyos for vines, each protected by small rock walls against intense heat and wind.
• Hungary's Tokaji Aszú gains savory, saline edge from volcanic soils; mineral content may protect Furmint, Hárslevelú, and Yellow Muscat grapes from botrytis rot, elevating sweet wines above peers.

Virginia and Oregon emerge as Sauvignon Blanc rivals to traditional strongholds

• VinePair's tasting panel sampled thousands of Sauvignon Blancs across traditional regions and new American territories to identify the best bottles for 2026.
• Virginia producers are delivering Sauvignon Blancs with quality and value that compete with established regions, marking a shift in where US drinkers source the variety.
• Oregon's CHO Wines and Colorado's Steese & Henderson winery prove the variety thrives outside California, Napa, and Loire Valley benchmarks.
• Friuli and Alto Adige in Italy continue to produce standout expressions using stainless steel fermentation, while Loire Valley examples show increased texture and depth versus historical flinty styles.
• The list reflects a move away from single-region dominance, with equally strong entries from Virginia, Oregon, Colorado, California, France, Italy, and Slovenia.

Paris sommelier pairs Austrian natural wine with casual barbecue, not formality

• Daria Volokitina, sommelier at Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, abandoned traditional food-pairing rules to match wine with barbecue sensations and emotions instead.
• She selected Liszt Minimaliszt 2022, an organic Austrian Furmint from Burgenland, for its refreshing citrus profile and palate-cleansing acidity alongside grilled kebabs and pasta.
• Volokitina chose a natural wine, a style often associated with younger drinkers, but found that friends unfamiliar with wine could not define natural wine despite enjoying it.
• Wine's cultural shift away from fine dining and formal occasions means accessibility for new drinkers, though education about wine styles still lags uptake among younger consumers.

Record Spanish wildfires damage Sierra de Gredos vineyard revival

• Fires between July 22 and 26 destroyed 77,000 hectares across Ávila and Madrid provinces, which contain 85 percent of Sierra de Gredos's 2,000 hectares of vineyards.
• About 200 hectares, or 40 percent of Cebreros DO's registered vineyards, suffered fire, smoke, or both damage according to preliminary estimates.
• Bodegas Bernabeleva in San Martín de Valdeiglesias lost its office, facade, windows, and equipment; owner Juan Diez Bulnes said grape survival and quality remain unknown.
• Comando G's one-hectare slate parcel in Cebreros producing Las Iruelas experienced heavy smoke exposure, likely writing off this vintage's single-vineyard wine.
• Bodega El Reventón's San Gregorio parcel lost vines but owner Gearóid Lane expects recovery of 80 to 90 percent of the plantings.

Pierce's disease detected in continental Europe; 41 percent of vineyards now at climate risk

• Xylella fastidiosa bacterium, which causes Pierce's disease in grapevines, was first detected on mainland European vines in Portugal in 2023; cases now persist in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and France.
• A 2025 study using high-resolution climate data found 41.2 percent of European vineyards face climate risk from Pierce's disease, double the 21.8 percent estimated by previous models.
• Vineyard microclimates in river basins and valleys are especially vulnerable because warming winters no longer suppress the bacterium in these topographically complex areas.
• California growers have managed Pierce's disease since the 1990s through early detection, vector control, and eradication of infected vines; European countries are still developing coordinated surveillance and communication strategies.
• Eduardo Moralejo, plant pathologist at Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex Systems in Mallorca, warns that silent spread may create false security until the pathogen becomes widely established.

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

• PIWI (fungus-resistant hybrid) grapes require two to three fungicide sprays per season versus eight to 15 for traditional varieties, reducing chemical, fuel, and labor costs.
• Modern genetic testing technology rhAmpSeq, used since 2019, identifies disease-resistance genes with precision and speeds seedling screening from months to days across thousands of vines.
• Germany leads PIWI adoption with 4,000 hectares planted in 2025, four percent of national vineyard area, up 10 percent year-on-year.
• A 2026 Luxembourg study found PIWIs delivered twofold economic savings and up to threefold environmental gains versus traditional varieties, chiefly through reduced soil toxicity.
• French breeders are developing ResDur varieties crossed with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to maintain regional character while retaining fungal resistance.

Restaurants: Singburi, amazing Thai food in Shoreditch, London, and a short but great wine list

• Singburi in Shoreditch, London serves Thai cuisine with a short, daily-changing menu and coal-fired cooking.
• Singburi's wine list is sourced from Roland Wines and Les Caves de Pyrene, focusing on organic, low-intervention wines at friendly prices.
• Corkage at Singburi is £33, priced to discourage casual savings while remaining fair to the restaurant.
• Three wines served by the glass: Antonio Pedro Toto Barbadillo Espumoso de Albariza 2022 (90/100, £49), Christina Gelber Muskateller 2025 (92/100, £56), and Domaine de la Pepière Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Sur Lie 2025 (92/100, £43).

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

Wine Gets a Category

• Substack launched a dedicated Wine & Spirits category on Monday, separating wine content from the larger Food & Drink section to improve discoverability.
• John Malatras, Substack's Community team lead, proposed the category to 24 wine writers after finding wine content hard to find within Food & Drink.
• 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 updated coverage of climate change and emerging regions.
• Smith-Madrone Vineyard in Napa's Spring Mountain District buried wildfire debris using Hügelkultur trenches to sequester carbon and manage runoff after the 2020 Glass Fire.

Burgenland Winery Guide, Part 1

• Burgenland is Austria's warmest region and one of few with serious red wine culture, famous for progressive viticulture.
• Blaufränkisch, Chardonnay, and Weissburgunder thrive in Leithaberg's limestone and chalk soils.
• Boris Kovacic (Sankt Margareten) makes natural wines from old vines and field blends, priced €15, €20, with no US availability.
• Georg Prieler produces low-intervention terroir wines from Marienthal and Goldberg sites; entry-level wines start €12, €15, top cuvées €70+.

The taste of stone

• Jako Andabak purchased an ailing cooperative in Bol village on the island of Brač in 2009, founding Stina (commercially known as Jako Vino) and modernizing the winery with new vineyard plantings.
• Stina's early wines were big and bold, making a statement when presented at Zagreb Wine Gourmet Weekend in April 2012, the fair's inaugural year.
• Andabak was part of a wave of 'Hrvatski Vrh' or 'high Croatian' wineries emerging during Croatia's 2013 EU ascension, backed by external capital and owners with international experience.
• Andabak's hotel ownership on Brač provided both financial backing and a ready market for Stina's wines through his hospitality properties.

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 were 'selected.'.
• 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, unlike competitor Guide Hachette des Vins which rates specific cuvées.
• Consumer wine guides emerged in the 1970s with publications like Decanter, Wine Spectator, Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book, and Parker's Wine Advocate.
• The internet from mid-1990s onward made printed wine guides obsolete; Malcolm Gluck's Superplonk, the genre's peak, ceased publication in 2006.

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 studied Chinese literature, worked in wine importing in Shanghai, and was inspired by a Burgundy winemaker optimistic about Chinese wine's future.
• Coram's products are already listed in over 100 restaurants and bistros across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu since launching last June.
• Huangjiu's best drinking window is typically three to eight years of aging; modern styles are fresher and cleaner than older, sweeter, more oxidized versions.
• Chardomi blends 80% Chardonnay grapes with 20% glutinous rice through a distinct process: rice is soaked, steamed, saccharified with wild yeast, then co-fermented with fresh grape juice.

What I Learned at a Conference on Drinking

From the invention of moderation to the return of temperance