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[ad_1] Prestige Champagne has lost some market traction, but top brands are still considered to have room for growth over the longer term. Global Champagne shipments fell 9.2% in 2024, to 271.4m bottles. ‘Champagne is a barometer of consumer mood,’ said Maxime Toubart, co-president of the Comité Champagne trade body, citing conflict, plus economic and political uncertainty. Top prestige-cuvée Champagnes …

[ad_1] Vineyards in Moldova. Situated between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova is one of Europe’s smallest countries. A hearty spirit is required for winemaking here, where freezing winds are a common occurrence. Yet it is these winds that provide the cooling influences needed for more gentle, slow ripening despite the fierce Moldovan sun. Soils are predominantly alluvial: composed of a mix …

[ad_1] For wine lovers worldwide, planning a trip to Beaune is like a dream come true. Quaint cafés, sun-drenched terrasses, a bustling weekend market and wine-soaked meals all the day long – what more could you want? In terms of discovering the city itself, a weekend’s worth of time is plenty – however, despite its small size, knowing where to …

[ad_1] Winery Direct Shipping MapOut-of-State Retailer Direct Shipping MapAlphabetical State-by-State Listing Much like finding a date, buying wine over the Internet is easier, safer and more popular than ever, but consumers who’ve gone through the process of purchasing wine online or over the phone from an out-of-state winery or retailer know that it always includes a tense moment of uncertainty, …

[ad_1] The U.S. wine landscape has shifted: On Feb. 26, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves approved a bill permitting wineries to ship wines directly to consumers in the Magnolia State. The law takes effect July 1, 2025. Arkansas, Delaware, Rhode Island and Utah are now the only states not to permit direct-to-consumer (DTC) winery shipping or to limit it to just …

[ad_1] The New York-based company owns more than 100 brands, including Robert Mondavi, Kim Crawford, Ruffino, Meiomi, Simi Winery, and The Prisoner. It is one of the largest wine suppliers in the United States, but that part of the business has struggled in recent years. Wine sales fell by 14% year-on-year in the three months ended November 2024, according to …

[ad_1] Georgie Hindle (right) with Marielle Cazaux, managing director of Château La Conseillante, Pomerol. Compiling the in-bottle report is a fascinating experience. Readers may find it overkill that we taste roughly 900 wines, prepared for early assessment in the April after harvest, and then taste the same wines again only 20 months later. It’s mostly dictated by Bordeaux’s en primeur …

[ad_1] The hilly landscape of Priorat. In a bright, modern office bathed in the morning light of Dénia’s charming old quarter, Nicholas Hammeken speaks enthusiastically about Spain’s wines and his journey in the wine world. A Dane who fell in love with Spain, he founded Hammeken Cellars in 1996 to make fine but accessible wines for consumers worldwide. Hammeken produces …

[ad_1] A fresh round of US tariffs under president Trump’s new administration could wipe close to €1bn (£830m, $1.1bn) off the value of Italian wine exports globally, the Unione Italiana Vine (UIV) estimated. Its warning came after president Trump said the US intended to impose additional import tariffs of 25% on European Union (EU) products, although it wasn’t clear whether …

[ad_1] I’m used to tasting at merchant or regional tastings, where a diverse range of grapes and styles are showcased. These tastings are expensive to stage, and it makes sense to curate the best line-up possible. In panel tastings, by contrast, any producer or retailer can enter a wine, as long as it meets the criteria. In the Vermentino tasting, …

[ad_1] Helga Louise Schroeder MS is a judge at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). Helga Louise Schroeder MSHelga Louise Schroeder MS Helga is Germany’s first female Master Sommelier, receiving this honour in 2019. She began her career completing an apprenticeship in a hotel and undertook studies in tourism economics. She is currently the head of purchasing at ALPINA …

[ad_1] Mystic Island Winery’s terraced vineyards in the Qiu Shan Valley Mystic Island Winery, located in China’s Qiu Shan Valley, is a pioneering force in environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. This boutique winery not only produces exquisite wines but also demonstrates a profound respect for its local community and environment. A vision rooted in sustainability Owners Rita Cheung and …

[ad_1] Joris Gutierrez Garcia, from Montreal, Canada, winner of the ASI Best Sommelier of the Americas 2025 competition The Best Sommelier of the Americas 2025 was crowned on February 20 at a five-day event organised by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) in partnership with the Best USA Sommelier Association (BUSA). The event – held every third year – …

[ad_1] Renée Zellweger at Peacock’s ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy’ New York screening at Jazz at Lincoln Center, 12 February 2025. Bridget Jones, the hapless heroine played by Renée Zellweger, is often found clutching a large goblet of Chardonnay throughout her exploits on the big screen. Her latest escapade, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, broke box office records …

[ad_1] The large-scale frieze covers three walls of an elaborate banquet hall, presenting lively images of female followers paying homage to the wine god. Archaeologists said the artwork offers fresh insight into the ancient city’s religious practices before it was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius erupting in AD 79. Initiates had to take part in secret rituals to join the cult …

[ad_1] The water tower at Silver Oak. In 2020, Decanter contributor Elin McCoy interviewed David Duncan – proprietor of Silver Oak, Twomey, OVID Napa Valley, and Timeless – profiling the iconic Silver Oak label. In her feature, McCoy observed that the most recent vintages seemed, ‘less oaky and more lifted, promising a strong future direction’. In the five years since, the …

[ad_1] Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard-inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week. Personalized AI Recommendation Engines are mostly junk scienceThere isn’t a hallelujah big enough …

[ad_1] Vineyard scene in Livermore Valley, California. The Global AVA is designed to help the wineries in each region overcome challenges, share best practices and improve the quality of their wines. They will hold quarterly Zoom meetings and annual in-person conferences, focusing on topics such as agri-tourism, social media marketing and sustainable winemaking. David Haubert, the District 1 Supervisor of …

[ad_1] In addition to the trio of new Château Latour wines being released on 17 March, as covered on Premium last month, this year’s line-up features new vintages of established names including Promontory, Ornellaia, Borgogno, Dal Forno, Ao Yun and I Sodi di S. Niccolò as well as a few newcomers. The March campaign is always smaller than its September …

[ad_1] Fìon also runs private and corporate wine tastings, and pop-ups partnering with local restaurants. Miguel Crunia writes about wines from Atlantic regions on his Substack blog Atlantic Sommelier. He also works as a wine judge, educator and speaker. My first memorable wine experience Wine was always part of life in my family; my grandfather was a wine merchant. I …