Houses that once insisted their non-vintage never changed are now celebrating the differences between base years. A magnum of Ayala Brut Majeur built on the outstanding 2019 harvest shows why detailed back labels, and extra time under cork, pay off, writes Giles Fallowfield. There have been a plethora of exciting Champagne tastings over the past six weeks or so, demonstrating, if demonstration was needed, that the quality of wine being produced in the region is generally at a very high level currently, arguably higher than it’s ever been before. While the major houses were historically always keen to say that...

The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) officially welcomed 11 new Masters of Wine (MWs) to its membership and celebrated five winners of seven awards at a ceremony in Vintners’ Hall, London, last night. The IMW’s annual awards ceremony celebrates the inauguration of the new MW vintage and recognises individual excellence in areas of the MW exam. Friends, family and Masters of Wine from around the world assembled in London for the occasion. Tonight, the IMW was proud to formally welcome new members Alice Archer MW (UK), Owain Hughes MW (UK), Karen Hong Liu MW (Hong Kong), Weiran (Bill) Liu...

We summarized Bourgogne wines into figures to help you understand them. BOURGOGNE WINES - KEY FIGURES 2026BOURGOGNE WINES - KEY FIGURES 2026 With 32,491 hectares under vine in 2025, Bourgogne accounts for 4.7% of France’s vineyard area. Its 84 appellations reflect its diversity, from Régionale appellations to Grand Crus... Average annual production over 2021–2025 stood at 1.46 million hectolitres, with white wines accounting for 61%. The industry brings together 3,802 wine estates, 329 négoces and 15 wine cooperatives. 200.1 million bottles were sold in 2025, with exports accounting for 54% of sales by volume. With estimated revenue of €1.74 billion,...

Ένα μπουκάλι από μια άλλη εποχή, αυτό το μπουκάλι ιατρικού κρασιού παρουσιάζει μια συνταγή που αποτελείται κατά το ήμισυ από χυμό αμπέλου και κατά το ήμισυ από χυμό κρέατος, η οποία απαιτεί να κρατηθείτε γερά: ένα κοκτέιλ τόσο εκπληκτικό όσο και η αναζωογονητική του υπόσχεση. H συλλογή θα εκτεθεί στο κοινό στο Παρίσι από τις 3 έως τις 5 Δεκεμβρίου. - πηγή φωτογραφίας: Aibo Art Auctions Από τα αμερικανικά «tar toddies» μέχρι τα αψέντια και άλλα λικέρ, τα 1.350 μπουκάλια απεριτίφ και χωνευτικών που συγκέντρωσε ο Bruno de Serbriant (σε 40 χρόνια έρευνας) και θα δημοπρατηθούν από τις 4 έως...

Tannin descriptors are widely used by wine professionals to communicate wine quality, structure, and style. However, many terms lack shared definitions and are interpreted differently across experts. This study explored how winemakers conceptualize tannins by analyzing the vocabulary they use, the perceptual dimensions underlying tannin descriptors, and the semantic relationships that structure this specialized language. Understanding the language of tannins Tannin perception is a key component of red wine quality. Beyond astringency, tannins contribute to sensations related to texture, body, integration, persistence, and mouthfeel evolution. To describe these perceptions, wine professionals use a rich vocabulary including terms such as silky,...

As winemakers, we spend much of harvest in patient anticipation. We walk the vineyards, taste berries, evaluate ripeness, and wait for the moment when all the sensory elements align. During the 2023 harvest, those moments arrived again and again. In the earliest days of harvest, we tasted juice samples from freshly harvested lots of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot offered aromas of raspberry and strawberry that evolved into flavors and textures reminiscent of strawberry cream, while the Cabernet Sauvignon showed bright, expressive notes that brought to mind watermelon confections. Standing in our dusty boots around the tasting table, there...

Heritage is not something preserved behind glass. It has to be used, questioned, tested and handed on. Pinotage understands this better than most. Born in South Africa, shaped by South African vineyards and argued over for much of its life, Pinotage has never had the comfort of being universally understood. It has had to earn its place. Perhaps that is precisely why it has become such an important part of our wine identity. There is a golden thread running through its history: from vineyard to cellar, from one generation of winemakers to another, from the first serious benchmarks to the...

A bold tribute to the enduring legacy of Marilyn Monroe and her historic connection to Piper-Heidsieck In celebration of the centennial of Marilyn Monroe’s birth, Piper-Heidsieck Champagne proudly unveils a limited-edition cuvée honoring the historic bond between the French House and the Hollywood legend. Since its founding in 1785, Piper-Heidsieck has been associated with the brightest personalities and the most vibrant stages – from theater to cinema and international red carpets. Marilyn Monroe: A Timeless Muse for Piper-Heidsieck Recognized as the Most Awarded Champagne House of the Century*, Piper-Heidsieck has long celebrated audacity, glamour, and joyful expression — qualities embodied...

atthew Jukes, one of Britain’s best-known wine writers, critics and drinks entrepreneurs, has died suddenly while on holiday with his family in Portugal. He was 58.Jukes died on 6 August. He is survived by his wife, Amelia, their sons, Rollo and Victor, and his daughters, Isadora and Elspeth.Few figures have enjoyed such a varied and influential career in wine. A gifted communicator with an infectious enthusiasm for the subject, Jukes spent almost four decades introducing consumers and professionals alike to the pleasures of wine through restaurants, newspapers, books, and broadcasting.His career began in 1987, aged just 19, when he joined...

Alessia Antinori has been appointed president of Primum Familiae Vini, the association of 12 historic family-owned wine estates, placing culture, architecture and heritage at the centre of its agenda for the year ahead. Primum Familiae Vini (PFV), the association representing 12 of the world’s leading family-owned wine estates, has appointed Alessia Antinori as its president for the 2026-2027 term. Antinori, who represents the 26th generation of the Florentine family behind Marchesi Antinori, succeeds Prince Robert of Luxembourg, president of Domaine Clarence Dillon. The formal handover took place during the association’s annual meeting at Château Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. Together with her...

Three vegetation fires broke out in quick succession on July 8 near the Burgundy Grands Crus. The massive intervention of the firefighters made it possible to contain the flames before they reached the vineyard plots, but some winegrowers are worried about the risk of smoke tasting. By Marion Bazireau On 09 July 2026 July 8 was particularly hot for the Côte d'Or vineyards. A first fire started shortly before 1 p.m. in the Mercedes garage located in the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges. A second broke out less than two hours later, in the valley, just opposite. A third fire broke out...

Liv-ex, the global fine wine exchange for market data, insight and trading, has released new analysis of exchange trading activity over the past year, identifying a selection of wines attracting renewed buyer demand and recording sustained increases in transaction prices. The findings highlight areas of resilience within the fine wine market and offer insight into where opportunities may be emerging for buyers. Access the report here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1280pxfMPjv6EnlOCc3CMSkMtIDuRIeKh/view?usp=sharing Mouton Rothschild (2005, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2018) Headlines Bordeaux's Strongest Gains Bordeaux had more top performing wines than any other region over the past year, thanks to its strong liquidity. Mouton Rothschild 2015...

The project for the city of Alsace wines falls from charybdis to scylla. After the announcement by the municipality of Kaysersberg-Vignoble elected in March that it would not sell the communal land necessary for its realization, the castle of Kientzheim, a centerpiece of the project, is now threatened with liquidation, which could make the project fall into oblivion. Renting is the economic model that has allowed the Château de Kientzheim to be the showcase of the Saint-Etienne Brotherhood and Alsace wines since 1973. - photo credit: Confrérie Saint-Etienne Without a château, the Cité des Vins project falls through," said Serge...

The research programme on wine ageing unveils its first findings: results that are particularly awaited while sales of rosés in the vineyard are down slightly... And that stocks increase over time. What are the ageing processes for rosés with longer ageing potential? Since 2024, the teams at the Centre du Rosé in Vidauban (Var) have been working on this issue. "In the current context, it is possible that rosé stocks will remain in the cellar for longer," explains Grégori Lanza, the agricultural engineer in charge of the project. We have therefore studied the behaviour of rosé as it ages, while...

The "Secret d'Océan" initiative explores the influence of the marine environment—referred to by the winery as "merroir"—on the aging of wine. The Journey: Following a successful pilot, the cargo sailboat Grain de Sail II departed on January 25, 2026, headed for Pointe-à-Pitre. On board were six barrels of Bourgogne Côte d'Or Chardonnay and one barrel of Santenay rouge. Scientific Study: Building on data collected during the first edition—which used Onafis probes to monitor parameters like oxygen, temperature, humidity, and pressure—the winery continues to study how maritime aging differs from traditional cellar aging. Notably, previous observations showed that wines aged on...

5,000 Bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon from Castel Gandolfo. The first wine from the Pope's estate at the summer residence Castel Gandolfo in Lazio is bottled. Pope Leo XIV tasted the first vintage on site. The project was initiated in 2021 by his predecessor Francis. He brought in the renowned oenologist Riccardo Cotarella as a consultant. The two hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon are part of the organically and sustainably managed agricultural operation Borgo Laudato Si. The 8,000 vines are tended by refugees, who also receive training there. In the long term, production is expected to grow to around 20,000 bottles. They...

Co-adaptation to climate and sociological changes: "it is not relevant to change the management of the vine without worrying about its carbon footprint at a time when this criterion is required to give access to certain markets" sums up the Vinopôle d'Alsace. By Christophe Reibel On 02 June 2026 In this short cropping test carried out at flowering, half of the leaf area is removed. - photo credit: Christophe Reibel Created in July 2024, the Vinopôle Alsace* is focusing its first actions on the carbon strategy of the Alsace wine sector and its adaptation to climate change. "It is not...

One suspect who stole multiple Burgundy bottles from L’Auberge Provençale was sentenced to a year in prison on May 18; her partner remains at large. Sgt. Mike Bell of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office returned two of the bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti to L’Auberge Provençale, owned by Celeste Borel and her husband. (Courtesy of L’Auberge Provençale) One of the perpetrators in the audacious theft of four bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from the restaurant and inn L’Auberge Provençale in Virginia last November will serve a year in prison. Natali Ray, 56, was sentenced to a year in...

With the wine crisis violently shaking the historical foundations of the wine industry, Martin Cubertafond, strategy consultant and lecturer at Sciences-Po, calls in this interview for a return to updated fundamentals on the operational approach to the markets. By targeting new purchasing opportunities, by opening up other places of consumption with other formats and reduced prices, by developing more diverse styles of wine, by writing different narratives... A call for modernization as much as democratization, otherwise "we will have a micro-niche of ultra-knowledgeable consumers, but a micro-niche in the end" warns the analyst, who calls for "a marketing that is...