Winefeed

Seven US regions seek AVA status to define their wines' distinctive character

• Seven proposed AVAs in California, Oregon, New Jersey, and New York are under review by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, a process that takes several years.
• Annapolis-Sea Ranch in Sonoma County would cover 26,637 acres with 651 planted acres, known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay shaped by coastal fog filtering and sandy loam soil.
• Deschutes River in central Oregon would be the first recognized winegrowing region there, covering 723,760 acres at 1,500 to 3,500 feet elevation, with growers experimenting alongside traditional varieties on 77 acres.

Airlines upgrade wine service as premiumization strategy takes flight

• Major airlines including Delta are expanding wine offerings in premium cabins and lounges as part of premiumization strategies that prioritize high-margin business-class amenities.
• Industry observers note airlines can capitalize on current market conditions: abundant quality wine at favorable prices makes this an opportune moment for wine service upgrades.
• Wine has become central to the aspirational premium lifestyle airlines are selling, appearing across multiple venues from main bars to specialty lounges for top-tier passengers.

Cruise lines become experiential sales channel for US wineries

• Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant chartered Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady for wine club members in 2024, integrating its wines across bars and restaurants; the voyage sold out and 30 percent of members signed up for a February 2027 follow-up cruise.
• Four Feathers Wine Services, based in Washington state, developed a custom brut sparkling wine for Holland America using Columbia Valley fruit; launched fleetwide in 2024, it became the cruise line's most-served adult beverage.
• Eleven Eleven Wines, a Napa boutique winery, hosted 60 guests on a seven-day Mediterranean sailing aboard Scenic Eclipse II in June; the winery achieved a 33 percent conversion rate among non-wine club passengers to repeat purchases or club membership.

Costco stocks boutique wines as global producers seek volume sales

• Costco, the largest US wine retailer, stocks 100-120 rotating wines including boutique producers and own-label Kirkland Signature wines created by contracted winemakers in small lots of around 2000 cases each.
• Kirkland Signature wines launched in 2003 source from global winemakers including New Zealand's Central Otago producers and negociants like A-to-Z, giving Costco access to cult-following brands at competitive prices.
• Wine producers facing sales pressure now use Costco's high-volume warehouse model and house-brand strategy, mirroring British supermarket distribution systems like Tesco's to reach American consumers.

Jameson releases single pot still whiskey inspired by 1826 recipe

• Jameson, the world's top-selling Irish whiskey, launched Distiller's Batch, a single pot still expression matured in five cask types and bottled at 46% ABV.
• The recipe draws from a handwritten mashbill dated 1826 by John Jameson II, kept in the Midleton archive, returning to the brand's pre-blended origins.
• Distiller's Batch won gold at the 2025 International Spirits Challenge and double gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, with SRP of $49.99.

Restaurants: an amazing tasting menu at AngloThai, London

• AngloThai, London, a Michelin-starred restaurant by owners John and Desiree Chantarasak, opened in November 2024 after pop-up appearances since 2015.
• Tasting menu costs £115 per head in evenings; wine list emphasizes English wines and Austrian producers including Claus Preisinger's Bonsai from Burgenland.
• The restaurant blends English and Thai influences, with refined execution in dishes, pacing, and service.

Vinography Images: The Color of Terraces

The Douro Valley is one of the most jaw-dropping slices of wine country to be found anywhere on earth. Stunningly

How Can You Train to Recognise Wine Faults?

• Sietze Wijma founded The Art of Tasting in 2021, teaching wine professionals and enthusiasts to recognize faults using synthesized flavor compounds mimicking real-world defects.
• Wijma studied psychology at Groningen University, then sensory science at masters level, after discovering aroma compounds could mimic flavors while interning at a UK laboratory.
• ATHP is the dominant compound causing mousy taint; it becomes volatile only at higher pH and undetectable at normal wine pH, requiring taste to perceive it.

Red and White and Roero All Over

• Roero, north of Alba in Piemonte, grows 1,000 hectares of white Arneis and 360 hectares of red Nebbiolo on sandstone-underlain terrain distinct from the Langhe.
• Roero Nebbiolo is more approachable than southern neighbors with limber tannins and bright acidity; Arneis is peachy and saline; U.S. prices range $25, $45 for reds and under $25 for whites.
• Some Roero producers label reds as Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba to exploit laxer production rules and more recognizable names rather than the Roero D.O.C.G. designation.

Meet Your Robo-Somm

• Tim Atkin tested multiple AI wine-pairing apps and found most fail to account for ingredient variations, vintage differences, and rosé/red wine distinctions, often defaulting to generic brands.
• SommPal, a new app allowing photo submission of menus and wine lists, ranks up to five pairings per dish with explanatory notes on pairing logic and potential compromises.
• Developer Marc Lewin stated SommPal is designed to serve novice wine drinkers where expert sommeliers are unavailable, not to replace them.

Of Substack & wine

• Substack created a separate Wine & Spirits subsection within its Rising and Top lists, breaking it off from the Food & Drink category to improve discoverability.
• Miquel Hudin updated the Wine Substack List (WineStack) to require paid subscriptions in active use and exclude AI-generated content, removing publications like 'Thirst Behavior' by Bodhi Landa.
• Matthew Jukes, a wine writer covering traditional media, passed away last month.

What I Learned at a Conference on Drinking

From the invention of moderation to the return of temperance