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Seven sommeliers reveal wine markup ranges from 60 to 76 percent of bill

• Seven beverage directors across US restaurants reported wine markups ranging from 60 to 76 percent of the final menu price, depending on venue and strategy.
• Kinga Mackowiak at Apple Blossom in Denver reported 60 to 70 percent markup, while William Jones at Deep Roots Restaurant Group in Alabama averaged 76 percent markup across multiple locations.
• Markups fund invisible costs: glassware, labor, insurance, credit card fees, storage, and utilities; restaurants also invest in wine selection, proper service, and temperature control.
• Rising tariffs, labor costs, and operational expenses have compressed profit margins; Deep Roots and Renzo in Charleston adjusted pricing strategies to maintain target profitability despite external pressures.
• Beverage directors price dynamically rather than applying flat multipliers, charging higher markups on lower-priced bottles and lower markups on expensive bottles to balance accessibility and revenue.

Spain's devastating Gredos wildfires damage emerging fine wine region

• Record Spanish wildfires burned 77,000 hectares across Ávila and Madrid provinces between July 22-26, destroying roughly 40 percent of Cebreros DO's 500 registered vineyard hectares.
• Bodegas Bernabeleva lost its office, facade, windows, and equipment; Bodega El Reventón's San Gregorio parcel burned, though owners expect to recover 80-90 percent of vines.
• Comando G's Las Iruelas single-vineyard wine in Cebreros suffered heavy smoke exposure and will likely not be produced this vintage, though their main vineyard sites in Villanueva and Cadalso de los Vidrios were spared.
• Local producers including Comando G founders Daniel Landi and Fernando García have submitted fire-prevention proposals to regional authorities requesting subsidies for forest clearance, firebreaks, and vineyard replanting.
• Juanan Martín of Rico Nuevo argues fire risk reflects decades of declining rural management and livestock farming, not climate change alone, positioning vineyard expansion as essential land-use infrastructure for Gredos.

Federal THC limit derails booming hemp beverage retail market

• THC-infused beverage sales surged 135 percent to $239 million in the year to April 2026, then crashed when Massachusetts banned them from wine stores in May 2024.
• Art Nergaryan, owner of Art's Specialties wine shops in Massachusetts, saw revenue jump 25 to 35 percent after stocking hemp drinks, then lost the category overnight due to state regulatory guidance.
• Congress passed legislation in November 2025 capping total THC at 0.3 milligrams per beverage container, effective November 12, 2026, which effectively bans most hemp-derived THC drinks nationwide.
• States have enacted conflicting rules: Minnesota and Georgia permit hemp beverages while California, Washington, and Vermont restrict or ban them, creating an impossible patchwork for national distribution.
• The FDA declared interstate THC-beverage commerce unlawful in 2018; the industry has operated in legal gray area despite growing demand and potential $9.9 billion to $14.9 billion market value.

English estates launch prestige cuvées priced to rival Champagne

• Nyetimber, Gusbourne, Chapel Down, Langham and Squerryes have each released prestige cuvées priced £100 and above, modelled on Champagne's Dom Pérignon strategy.
• Nyetimber pioneered the category in 2018 with its 1086 range at £150, £175, followed by Chapel Down's Kit's Coty Coeur de Cuvée in 2017 and Gusbourne's Fifty One Degrees North in 2022.
• All five estates employ extended lees ageing of seven to eight years minimum and rigorous fruit selection from their finest vineyard parcels across Kent, Sussex and Dorset.
• Langham's Perpetual Blanc de Blancs uses a solera-style system inspired by grower Champagne, releasing just 650 bottles in 2025 at £109.95, while Gusbourne released a magnum edition at £395.
• The category reflects growing recognition of English sparkling wine abroad; estates cite vintage quality, soil terroir and winemaking heritage to justify premium positioning against established Champagne houses.

American single malt ratification fails to lift sales as distilleries struggle

• The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved American single malt as an official whiskey category in December 2024 after a decade of petitioning by distillers.
• Major producers including Westland Distillery in Seattle, Balcones in Waco Texas, and Westward Whiskey in Portland have closed operations or cut staff as sales remain flat despite ratification.
• Retailers have created dedicated shelf space for American single malt following the standard, and consumers no longer conflate it with peated Scotch, but broader market adoption has stalled.
• Distillers report that bourbon dominates American whiskey perception and that retail shelf consolidation limits distribution opportunities for smaller producers regardless of category recognition.
• Many single malt producers have diversified into cheaper cask-finished variants, bourbon blends, and other spirits to offset slow growth in the core American single malt category.

World Cup failed to halt US beer industry's sales decline

• Anheuser-Busch InBev invested $110 million in World Cup marketing but reported only 0.25% volume lift, while US beer sales fell 4.5% year-to-date through mid-2026.
• Off-premise beer sales declined 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.
• On-premise draft beer sales rose 7.1% in dollars and 6.46% in volume during the tournament, but gains evaporated by the final week, ending at -1% and -3% respectively versus 2025.
• Spirits outperformed beer during the same period, with category sales up 4.4% in dollars and 8.4% in volume, driven by ready-to-drink cocktail brands like Cutwater and Surfside.
• Industry shed approximately 3.5 million barrels in the first half of 2026 versus 2025, suggesting the World Cup's once-every-four-years occasion could not overcome structural beer market weakness.

UK firm bids $400k for bankrupt Rogue Ales' recipes and Dead Guy trademark

• Silver Scope Media Ltd, a UK digital marketing agency, bid $400,000 for Rogue Ales & Spirits' intellectual property nine months after parent company Oregon Brewing filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
• The IP package includes Rogue's website, recipes, manufacturing specifications, proprietary yeast strains, social media accounts, and trademarks including the Dead Guy IPA brand.
• Oregon Brewing valued Rogue's total IP at $2 million; competing bids must exceed Silver Scope's offer by $40,000 before the Aug. 21 deadline.
• Valley View Winery, an Oregon estate that trademarked Rogue in 1983, filed an objection claiming a perpetual license to Rogue wine and wine-based beverages under their 1997 settlement.
• Rogue's bankruptcy auction followed the sudden closure of its distillery and taprooms in 2024, citing $17 million in debts against $5 million in assets.

Nine US sommeliers name overlooked American wine regions worth exploring

• Nine sommeliers across the US were asked which underrated American wine regions deserve more attention from drinkers and collectors.
• Hudson Valley in New York draws praise for fresh, food-friendly wines with eclectic varietals including Cabernet Franc and French-American hybrids, distinct from Long Island and Finger Lakes.
• Northern Michigan, Ballard Canyon in Santa Barbara, Laurelwood District in Oregon, and San Luis Obispo Coast in California earned mentions for distinctive character and value relative to their quality.
• Finger Lakes regions Seneca Lake and upstate New York more broadly were highlighted for site-specific Riesling production and emerging winemaker talent.
• Washington State's Yakima Valley and Walla Walla Valley, plus Southern Oregon's Applegate Valley, were named for Rhône-style wines and Pinot Noir that sommeliers actively stock and recommend.

Seven volcanic regions beyond Etna showcase distinctive mineral wines

• Volcanic soils from past eruptions create wines with high acidity, salinity, and savory flavors distinct from fruit-forward styles elsewhere.
• Santorini's Assyrtiko white and Hungary's Tokaji Aszú sweet wine demonstrate how volcanic terroir adds mineral depth and edginess unmatched in other regions.
• Soave in Italy, the Canary Islands, Willamette Valley in Oregon, Auvergne in France, and Lake County in California all produce distinctive wines from volcanic geology.
• Volcanic soils naturally resist pests and disease, enabling organic farming and preservation of old indigenous grape varieties across these regions.
• Producers including Gaia Wines in Santorini, Royal Tokaji in Hungary, and Evening Land in Oregon exemplify winemakers revitalizing volcanic regions through quality-focused viticulture.

Virginia and new regions challenge Sauvignon Blanc's old guard

• VinePair's tasting panel sampled Sauvignon Blancs from 2026 across traditional and emerging regions, scoring each on aromas, flavors, structure, balance, and typicity.
• Virginia producers including Dogwood & Thistle and Emily Hodson are delivering high-quality Sauvignon Blancs that punch above their price, drawing new attention to the Commonwealth.
• Oregon, Colorado, and Slovenia are producing expressive Sauvignon Blancs that challenge drinkers to look beyond Loire Valley and California classics.
• Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs have shifted toward texture and depth while retaining minerality, and Friuli remains a crucial source for stainless-steel-aged styles with complexity.
• The variety is thriving in diverse terroirs from Ballard Canyon to Russian River Valley to Alto Adige, reflecting a broadening market for Sauvignon Blanc beyond its traditional strongholds.

Sommelier reframes wine pairing around emotion, not tradition

• Daria Volokitina, sommelier at Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, paired Austrian Furmint with barbecued kebabs by matching desired sensation, not formal pairing rules.
• Volokitina chose Liszt Minimaliszt 2022 from Burgenland for its freshness and chill-ability on a warm day, prioritising palate-cleansing over established pairings.
• Natural wine appeals to younger drinkers but remains poorly understood; Volokitina's friends admitted ignorance of the category despite drinking it.
• Wine no longer signals exclusivity or expertise; younger consumers treat it as conversational, food-friendly, and occasion-appropriate rather than formal or intimidating.
• Furmint, traditionally Hungarian, is gaining recognition among small Austrian growers in Burgenland for mineral-driven dry styles outside its native region.

Pierce's disease bacteria detected in continental Europe; 41% of vineyards at climate risk

• Xylella fastidiosa bacterium, which causes Pierce's disease in grapevines, was first detected on continental European grapevines in Portugal in 2023, one infected vine that was managed swiftly.
• A 2025 climate study found 41.2 percent of European vineyards now face climate risk from Pierce's disease, up from 21.8 percent in earlier models, driven by warming winters.
• Vineyard microclimates near river basins and valleys are especially vulnerable because topography allows the pathogen to spread between areas that historically remained isolated by cold.
• California's three-decade battle with Pierce's disease, which cost growers over $48 million annually, offers Europe lessons in early detection and vector management, though strategies must fit local conditions.
• European countries lack unified reporting and communication protocols; California's voluntary early disclosure, driven by culture and economic incentive, contrasts with Europe's eradication-only mandate that risks concealment.

Disease-resistant hybrids cut fungicide use 80 percent, gaining ground in Europe

• PIWIs, fungus-resistant hybrid grapes bred from European vinifera and American species, reduce fungicide sprays from eight to 15 times yearly to two to three times at Famille Ducourt in Bordeaux.
• Rapid genetic testing technology rhAmpSeq, pioneered by US researchers in 2019, identifies disease-resistance genes with precision and speeds breeding; marker-assisted selection now scans 2,000 genetic markers across 4,000 seedlings in days instead of months.
• Germany leads PIWI adoption at 4,000 hectares in 2025, four percent of total vineyard area, with 10 percent annual growth; Luxembourg data show PIWIs deliver twofold economic savings and threefold environmental benefit reduction versus traditional varieties.
• French breeders develop ResDur varieties by crossing with regional grapes like Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to retain Bordeaux signature; Bordeaux University will plant experimental hybrid plots over two years.
• Acceptance depends on consumer taste validation; direct-to-consumer sales dominate at 71 percent in Germany, with retail expanding as supermarket chains begin stocking PIWIs.

Highlights: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Oregon winery Ponzi

• Ponzi, Oregon's third winery founded in 1970, has been owned by Champagne house Bollinger since 2021.
• Ponzi Vineyards Laurelwood District Chardonnay 2021 scored 94/100, featuring white pepper, pear, peach, and savoury herb notes with ginger and wood spice complexity.
• Ponzi Vineyards Laurelwood District Pinot Noir 2022 scored 93/100, displaying cherry and raspberry fruit with subtle spicy oak and elegant acidity.

M is for Method

• Traditional method sparkling wines undergo second fermentation in bottle with sugar and yeast, then are disgorged and topped with dosage; brut nature receives no added sugar.
• Ancestral method sparkling wine ferments in bottle before reaching dryness, retains lees, and is typically not disgorged, creating a dry, lightly cloudy, savory style.
• Tank method (Charmat/Martinotti) uses pressurized tanks for second fermentation, producing clean, direct sparkling wines with minimal lees contact.
• Skin-contact white wines macerate with skins, seeds, and pulp during fermentation, developing color, tannin, and complex flavors; the tradition originated in the Caucasus.
• Wine method dictates finished style: traditional/ancestral/tank methods always produce sparkling; passito always produces sweet wine; sous voile creates nutty, oxidative wines.

Wine News: What I’m Reading the Week of 8/30/26

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

Burgenland Winery Guide, Part 1

• Burgenland, Austria's warmest region, is one of few Austrian areas with serious red wine culture, particularly Blaufränkisch.
• Boris Kovacic relocated to Sankt Margareten in 2021 from stem cell research, now rents 12 plots with old vines and field blends, producing wines with no added additives.
• Georg Priester makes terroir-focused Blaufränkisch from Marienthal and Goldberg sites, increasingly aging reds in amphora instead of oak.
• Leithaberg's limestone and chalk soils favor Blaufränkisch, Chardonnay, and Weissburgunder; Eisenstadt serves as base, 45 minutes from Vienna.

The taste of stone

• Jako Andabak purchased an ailing cooperative in Bol, Brač island in 2009, founding Stina (initially called Jako Vino) and modernizing the winery with new vineyards.
• Stina's wines are big and bold, produced on the island of Brač in Croatia.
• Andabak, a hotel owner on Brač, provided capital and an existing market through his hotels to support the wine project.
• A wave of well-funded 'Hrvatski Vrh' or 'high Croatian' wineries emerged during the Global Financial Crisis, concentrated on the Dalmatian coast, ahead of Croatia's 2013 EU ascension.

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, unlike competitor Guide Hachette des Vins which rates cuvées one to five.
• Michelin owns the Wine Advocate entirely since 2019 (acquired 40% stake in 2017), raising questions about the publication's influence on Michelin's wine selections.
• Consumer wine guides emerged in the 1970s with Decanter, Wine Spectator, Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book, and Parker's Wine Advocate, but print guides became obsolete due to the internet and wine market expansion.

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, China's ancient yellow wine.
• Co-founder Alex Yuanzhu Wang's Chardomi blend is 80% Chardonnay grapes and 20% glutinous rice; rice requires soaking, steaming, and saccharification before co-fermenting with pressed grape juice.
• Coram's products are already listed in over 100 restaurants and bistros across Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Chengdu since launching last June.
• Huangjiu shows its best between three and eight years of aging; most huangjiu ages poorly beyond 10 years despite common misconceptions that older is better.
• A major misconception is that huangjiu is merely cooking wine; quality huangjiu is a traditional fermented beverage with complex brewing and multiple serving styles.

What I Learned at a Conference on Drinking

From the invention of moderation to the return of temperance