Vineyard sales are far from being in decline and for the investor “scarcity beats scale”, reveals the new Wealth Report by real estate consultancy Knight Frank. But which regions are “trading up” in value terms? db reports. Much has been made of the declining desirability of owning a vineyard, with a spate of high-profile sell-ups last year suggesting that owners are cashing in their investments and getting out. However, the latest annual Wealth Report by independent real estate company Knight Frank paints a rather different picture and signals the regions worth focusing on for prospective buyers. According to the report,...

In the 1970s, French wines were revered in America, but only by an elite few. This same class of wine lovers also considered their homegrown offerings to be something of a joke. Then, on May 24th 1976, a blind tasting competition in France dubbed “The Judgment of Paris” pitted northern Californian wines against French equivalents. California triumphed, propelling the wines, their producers, and Napa Valley onto the world wine stage, while proving to both global critics and domestic drinkers alike that the United States was capable of fine wine greatness. The event kickstarted a golden age of vine plantings and...

Georgia’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Davit Songulashvili, participated in an international conference organized by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine. The conference, titled ‘Recognition of the Cultural Value of Vine and Wine: International Perspectives,’ brought together international stakeholders to discuss the role of viticulture in cultural heritage and economic development. During his address, Songulashvili emphasized that wine in Georgia extends beyond its role as a beverage, describing it as an integral part of national identity and everyday life. He noted that wine culture is deeply embedded in Georgian art, literature, cinema, music and social traditions. The minister...

The Verona wine show concluded yesterday with Vinitaly 2026 coming at a pivotal moment for the Italian wine industry. Louis Thomas reports on the biggest trends from the fair. Approximately 90,000 attendees, 26% of whom were international visitors, flocked to Verona for Vinitaly 2026. With producers, co-operatives and consorzi from every Italian region present, the show presented a wine sector in flux, with many of the old certainties and ways of thinking being replaced with fresh ideas and approaches. Some of the challenges of recent years – tariffs and falling alcohol consumption – have not changed, but possible solutions to...

A winemaker as international as he was rooted in the Bordeaux vineyards, Michel Rolland was inseparable from the prosperous period of Robert Parker's influence on the wine industry, having created the concept of the flying winemaker and accompanied the development of garage wines. Not missing a good word, nor a joke, Michel Rolland was a free figure in the sector, scratching where it hurts, while defending Bordeaux production in the face of ever more exacerbated difficulties. This Friday, March 20 at the morning of the Bordeaux Oenologists' Association: one of their most eminent representatives, Michel Rolland, has just passed away....

As of today, the Gérard Basset Foundation is welcoming applications for the 2026 Artémis Domaines Golden Vines® Victims of Conflict Scholarships. The Artémis Domaines Golden Vines® Victims of Conflict Scholarships offer meaningful assistance and career progression to wine professionals who have been affected by war and geo-political conflict. Each Scholar receives a 6-month paid, bespoke internship at one of Artémis Domaines’ world-renowned estates. Created in 1993, Artémis Domaines selectively invests in high-quality vineyards and terroirs with a view to managing and developing them over the long term. Artémis Domaines owns 9 properties in Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Champagne, the...

Allwinestories proudly hosts Sanja Kovacevic, the artist behind the art project, Winerelle. Sanja bridges art and oenology, turning fermentation, oxidation and stain into visual storytelling. What inspired you to move from Serbia to rapidly evolving urban environments like Guangzhou and Dubai, and how did those cities shape your artistic identity? I grew up in northern Serbia, where grapevines grow beside almost every house. My upbringing was rooted in Serbian cultural layers, history, and art, but after graduating from the art academy, I started dreaming about open horizons. Guangzhou and later Dubai felt like artistic labs: places where nothing is fixed...

Once a year in early March, the heart of Burgundy, in Beaune, beats to the rhythm of wine tasting. There, wine experts from around the world—oenologists, sommeliers, merchants, journalists, and experienced wine lovers—gather in Beaune for one purpose: to discover wines that truly stand out. The competition is open to producers, cooperative wineries, and négociants from Burgundy and Beaujolais, covering white, rosé, red, and sparkling AOC wines. Thus, the institution captures the entire spectrum of the region – from elegant Chardonnays to expressive Pinot Noirs and fruity Beaujolais, as well as Crémant de Bourgogne. From 2022, wines from Franche-Comté will...

Cecilia Alarcón, Chilean wine ambassador in Italy, tells us how it was, and why, that Quillón is already the art of the international network of wine cities. We are proud, the commune of Quillón joins the "National Association of Wine Cities". This milestone of great relevance for Quillón, the Itata Valley and the Ñuble region, – makes Quillón the first Chilean municipality to be part of this distinguished international network of wine cities through the National Association of Città del Vino. An important step that will strengthen the local wine identity, where Quillón will play a strategic role in the...

The first Italian woman to achieve the title: “Italian wine is meant to be experienced with new words and with a gaze which is finally free”. Italy plays a “four-of-a-kind” at the table of “The Institute of Masters of Wine”, with the first Italian woman to reach the milestone. Cristina Mercuri was officially announced today as a Master of Wine, becoming “the first Italian woman to obtain one of the most selective titles in the international wine world. A recognition which certifies technical expertise, academic rigor and leadership skills. Her name now joins those of the other three Italian Masters...

The Cantine Florio winemaker was presented with db‘s prestigious award at Wine Paris, describing it as “a starting point” for new projects at the Marsala winery. The 2026 edition of the Master Winemaker 100 guide launched at Wine Paris this week, with an exclusive ceremony to offer first access to the guide and announce the winner of its top award: Master Winemaker of the Year. This year, the accolade went to Tommaso Maggio, who has been winemaker at Marsala producer Cantine Florio for the past 28 years. He achieved the award through a string of top medals for Cantine Florio,...

It has often been said that wine warms the body, gives sparkle to the eyes, and has always been an ally of love.Wine is the drink of togetherness and romance. After all, a bottle of wine is meant to be shared by two until the end of the evening… As Valentine’s Day approaches, we share style tips and suggestions for wine, food, and the appropriate musical backdrop—elements worth savoring and creating together. A well-known song hints that love was made for two and that a third always brings separation. Or maybe not. Because if we judge by the compelling trio...

Alsatian wines are in mourning with the sudden loss of one of its pillars, an owner-merchant who left his mark on the industry and its consumers with his quest for "balance, balance and balance" The orphaned wines of Alsace by Pierre Heydt-Trimbach. The 69-year-old owner-merchant died accidentally on January 31 near Ammerschwihr (Haut-Rhin). His vehicle left the road and ended up on its roof in a ditch and against a concrete nozzle. Pierre Heydt-Trimbach died in the evening. His name has been attached since 1985, the year of his return to Alsace after six months in California, to the eponymous...

Allwinestories proudly hosts Marie Cheong Thong, Chairman British Sake Association, Chair Baijiu Association, Commitee Guild of Food Writers, Sake Samurai, WSET Certified Educator, Rectifier, The Gin Guild, Mousquetaire d' Armagnaq and Spirit Judging Comittee IWSC. You’ve spent more than 18 years judging at leading international wine and spirits competitions, including chairing panels for sake, baijiu, and other Asian spirits. How has your perspective as a judge evolved over the years, and where do you believe global judging frameworks still fall short when it comes to Asian beverages? An opportunity being in the right place at the right time. Judging came...

Allwinestories proudly presents Nina Basset FIH, Co-Founting Trustee, Chairwoman Gerard Basset Foundation, Vice President of Academy Food and Wine Service, General Secretary of ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, Winner of Special Catey 2025. From becoming the youngest-ever AA Hotel and Restaurant Inspector to co-founding Hotel du Vin, your career has helped shape modern British hospitality — what moments stand out as true turning points? I have loved every moment of my career in Hospitality. Whilst an inspector I was tasked with creating a new classification scheme, the AA Townhouse Collection, which was a very interesting project to work...

Two months ahead of the official tastings, Strasbourg Events reminds producers that registrations are open for its two international wine competitions 2026, to be held on March 14 and 15 at the Strasbourg Convention Centre. The Mondial des Vins Blancs Strasbourg, a global benchmark for 28 years, and the first edition of the European Red & Rosé Wine Contest reflect a shared ambition: to support wine professionals, promote products rooted in tradition, and provide international visibility to viticultural excellence. At a time when the wine industry is undergoing profound economic, societal and consumption-related transformations, Strasbourg Events reaffirms its role as...

Oenologist Ioanna Vamvakouri has been elected as the new President of the Santorini Winemakers Association, following the elections held on December 5, 2025. This election represents a great honor and responsibility for our winery, as the Santorini Winemakers Association plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the Santorini vineyard and the island’s unique wines. The newly elected Board of Directors of the Association is composed as follows: President: Ioanna Vamvakouri (Mikra Thira) Vice President: Giannis Valambous (Vassaltis) General Secretary: Vangelis Gavalas (Gavalas Winery) Treasurer: Giannis Boutaris (Sigalas Winery) Member: Leto Paraskevopoulou (Gaia Wines) The new Board of...

Notice to Bordeaux winegrowers, great châteaux are launching a call for projects to lead to skills mentoring to help their more modest peers to overcome the difficulties of everyday life to project themselves into the future. A solidarity initiative for the collective, which is only waiting for applications from winegrowers to support and properties ready to help. Who will be the 4 AVenir Winegrowers followed from April 2026 to March 2027? An iconic team that would make any wine lover green with envy, the four grands crus calling on Bordeaux winemakers this winter to submit their applications online to benefit...

"French January" instead of "Dry January": The association "Vin & Société", an organization of the French wine industry, is calling for an alternative to abstaining from alcohol in January. The health initiative originating from the Anglo-Saxon world is known as "Dry January". In contrast, the association proposes the "French January". In this, people should "enjoy less, more thoughtfully, moderately, and consciously, instead of adhering to a calendar-imposed abstinence." This is reported by the French wine magazine La Revue du Vin de France. The association is not about denying the health risks of alcohol or directly opposing "Dry January". The "French...