WORLD WINE NEWS 2015

December 2015

• Hundreds of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wines stolen at French port 
  (Decanter) 31 cases of DRC wines destined for Canada have been stolen from Le Havre.
• Sore head? Wine contains more alcohol than manufacturers claim 
  (The Telegraph) Californian researchers took samples from nearly 100,000 bottles of wine from across the world, discovering that the alcohol content in nearly 60 per cent was an average of 0.42 per cent higher than stated on the label.
• HARVEST 2015: Piedmont’s Wineries Enjoy A Summer in the Sun 
  (Wine Spectator) An extremely hot year, but good vine management meant a repeat of 2003 was avoided.
• Winemaker acquitted over refusal to spray vines 
  (The Drinks Business) Biodynamic winemaker Thibault Liger-Belair has been cleared of all charged on a legal technicality after he refused to spray pesticide on his vines in 2013 to combat the spread of flavescence dorée.
• Wine Fraudster's Appeal Falls Flat 
  (Wine Searcher) Rudy Kurniawan has had his appeal dismissed and now, nearly 4 years after his initial arrest - and with his wine sold or crushed - he should serve a remaining 5 years in prison.
• Resveratrol Could Replace Sulfites in Wine 
  (Wine Searcher) Replacing Sulphur Dioxide in wine with Resveratrol may maintain antimicrobial and antioxidant functions, reduce allergic risks and increase health benefits of wine.
• Treasury to introduce calorie labelling 
  (The Drinks Business) Treasury Wine Estates to lead the way with links to online calorie information for its wines starting with 2016 labellings. 

November 2015

• HARVEST 2015: Loire Valley Reports a Warm Summer and Promising Wines 
  (Wine Spectator) Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc look good, but Muscadet hopes washed away by autumn rains.
• HARVEST 2015: Burgundy Winemakers Report Great Wines, but Low Quantities 
  (Wine Spectator) Reds look more successful than whites at this early stage, with yields down. 
• HARVEST 2015: Southern Rhône Winemakers Call It a Power Vintage 
  (Wine Spectator) A very serious vintage, with potentially ripe, powerful wines. Low acidity and high alcohol could be a challenge to winemakers.
• England’s Chapel Down winery pushes boundaries 
  (The Drinks Report) Chapel Down releases England's first Orange wine with the 2014 Orange Bacchus, made by wild fermentation and extended skin contact.
• Majestic calls in new strategy as profits dip 
  (The Drinks Business) Despite a 50% drop in pre-tax profits and total debt of £25 million, new CEO Rowan Gormley is upbeat and confident for future "sustainable growth".
• HARVEST 2015: California 2015 wines ‘scarce but promising’, say producers 
  (Decanter) With the earliest harvest in over 15 years quality is high, but after 3 years of drought quantity is low with yields down by as much as 50%.
• UK Medical Chief to lower alcohol guidelines 
  (The Drinks Business) Dame Sally Davies is set to call for a reduction to 10 units per week, a significant drop from the current (1995) guidelines of 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 for men.

October 2015

• Tesco adopts Aldi and Lidl's fixed price model 
  (The Drinks Business) An end to half-price promotions as the retailer cuts its wine range from over 950 to 660 and employs an average pricing structure.
• Majestic Wine scraps 6-bottle minimum 
  (The Drinks Business) Majestic have dropped their long-standing minimum purchase requirement in an attempts to provide "simpler, clearer pricing".
• Italy Reclaims Spot as World's Biggest Wine Producer From France 
  (Bloomberg) In the regular merry-go-round of biggest producer the latest OIV figures show Italy overtaking France after a 10% increase in production to 48.9 million hectoliters (6.5 billion bottles). The OIV figures show a global increase in production by 2%.
• Queen serves Ridgeview to Chinese Premier 
  (The Drinks Business) Ridgeview’s ‘Grosvenor’ 2009 brut makes the banquet menu (curiously in French, given the occasion) along with Burgundy, Bordeaux, Vin de Constance and a vintage Port.
• California wine growers predict high-quality 2015 vintage 
  (Harpers) The 2015 vintage looks set to be exceptional, according to wineries from across California. In related news, Wine Searcher reports that Napa wine prices are likely to continue rising due to the small harvest.
• Rooibos in Wine. Yes, it's a thing... 
  (Wine.co.za) South African winemakers are starting to use the indigenous Roobis as an alternative to oak for winemaking, with the added advantage of no sulphites required.
• How Big Is China's Counterfeit-Wine Problem? French Report Calls It An Industry 
  (Wine Spectator) "For every real bottle of French wine in China, there is at least one counterfeit bottle...an industrialization of counterfeiting... very high quality wine making it difficult to tell the real from the fake". 
• Bordeaux winemakers plant hedges to cut pesticide risk 
  (Decanter) With concerns over pesticide use and illness, winemakers in the Bourg appellation are to plant hedgerows around vineyards in 27 ‘sensitive sites’ around the appellation, including crèches, schools and sports fields.
• Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc hailed as the best white wine from South Africa 
  (Wine.co.za) Kleine Zalze’s Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2013 voted best white at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, with their 2015 Cellar Selection Chenin Blanc Bush Vines heralded as ‘Best of Show - South Africa White’ at the Mundus Vini International Wine Awards. 
• Napa Wraps Up Earliest Harvest in Years 
  (Wines and Vines) With most grapegrowers finishing off harvest "yields are down, quality is high and drought and wildfires haven’t impacted the crop.”

September 2015

• English wine to double production in 7 years 
  (The Drinks Business) MPs touring Rathfinny's Wine Estate told English Vineyard growth of 11% a year will double capacity in 7 years.
• Chilean Winery Watches Wine Drain Away After Earthquake 
  (Wine Spectator) The recent Chilean earthquake looks to have spared most of the wine industry, but Viña Falernia in the Elqui Valley was hit harder than most, losing over 130,000 bottles of wine from multiple tank and barrel ruptures.
• Devastating Valley Fire Interrupts Lake County Harvest 
  (Wine Searcher) "The Valley Fire" has destroyed at least one winery as it continues to blaze across California's Lake County region.
• 40,000 Euros of grapes stolen from Maison Etienne Guigal 
  (Decanter) Vineyard thieves have harvested one third of E. Guigals Viognier grapes destined for the rarely made "Luminescence" Condrieu - approximately 1000 bottles lost.
• British wine drinkers lack brand loyalty 
  (The Drinks Business) Only 5% of wine drinkers remain loyal to a particular brand; recommendations from others, value for money or just "fancying a change" are the main reasons for switching.
• Majestic launches first own-label range under Definition umbrella 
  (Harpers) Majestic has launched its first own-label range of wines; 6 "Definition" labels covering major wine styles.
• Alcohol tax revenue "Outweighs cost of abuse" 
  (The Drinks Business) Tax revenues of over £10 billion easily cover the £4 billion of direct costs of alcohol drinking to the Government - although health charities counter-claim that alcohol abuse costs £21 billion including personal and business costs.

August 2015

• Looking for Authentic Wine in the Angel's Share 
  (Wine Spectator) Californian researchers are trying to create a non-invasive, vacuum based technique for radiocarbon dating wine that could be used to detect counterfeits.
• Japan Sharpens Wine Laws 
  (The Drinks Business) New rules to be implemented in the next 2 years aim to ensure at least 85% of fruit comes from the area on the label. Currently 75% of grapes/concentrated must destined for Japanese wine are imported.
• Rioja heading for early 2015 wine harvest 
  (Decanter) A hot and dry growing season means some Rioja producers expect to begin the 2015 wine harvest up to a month early, with expectations of a quality harvest.
• Evin Law: French lawmakers scrap reform plan 
  (Decanter) The Constitutional Council, France's highest lawmaking body, has rejected plans to soften the controversial Evin Law.
• Fire destroys Grgich wines in Croatia 
  (Decanter) Wildfires on Croatia's Dalmatian coast are believed to have destroyed vineyards on the Peljesac peninsula and the island of Korcula. The Grgich winery near Dubrovnik, the sister operation of Mike Grgich’s eponymous estate in Napa Valley, has lost thousands of bottles worth of wine - although the winery itself was undamaged.

July 2015

• Grahm to breed 10,000 new grape varieties 
  (The Drinks Business) “Rhone Ranger” Randall Grahm has launched a crowd funding campaign to breed 10,000 entirely new grape varieties at his Popelouchum (paradise) estate in California. (See also Wine Enthusiast piece)
• NE Washington declared federal drought disaster area 
  (Capital Press) USDA declares drought disaster in northeast Washington, including Okanogon Valley. Walla Walla and Yakima already declared in previous statement.
• Bordeaux winemaker death inquiry to focus on pesticides 
  (Decanter) James-Bernard Murat, a winemaker in Pujols in the Entre deux Mers region of Bordeaux, died of lung cancer in 2012. His daughter, Valerie, has filed legal action against his employer based on 40 years of pesticide use as part of his work.
• Drought bites in the Pacific Northwest 
  (Wine-Searcher) Oregon and Washington are experiencing their hottest summer just one year after their previous hottest summer, but this time it's also dry.  For normally cool-climate Oregon this is proving more of a worry.
• Drought Plagues Winemakers in Northern Chile 
  (Wine Spectator) Elqui and Limarí valleys are weathering a multiyear drought, with no relief in sight. The last three years have brought an annual average rainfall of 1 inch with little to no snow.

June 2015

• Italy’s answer to Alcatraz, the island vineyard.... 
  (The Telegraph) Gorgona, off the Tuscan coast, is the only remaining penal colony in Europe and 60 inmates manage a 2.5-acre vineyard making an exclusive wine.

• US 'phenomenally thirsty' for wine: experts 
  (Mail Online (AFP)) The American wine market, already the world's biggest, still has "phenomenal" potential for growth.

• Majestic could scrap 6 bottle minimum 
  (The Drinks Business) New CEO Rowan Gormley suggests a 2-3 year plan for Majestic that may see changes to the warehouse format and minimum bottle purchase.

• French Parliament backs controversial Evin Law change 
  (Decanter) Ahead of the opening of Vinexpo 2015 a proposed change to the dreaded Evin law should make it more flexible, allowing educational articles and wine tourism.

May 2015

• English wine newcomer Rathfinny Estate bottles first wine 
  (Decanter) Sussex-based Rathfinny began bottling its first wines on 18 May, around one year after opening its winery, with 6000 bottles of still wine for release and 6000 bottles of sparkling for lees aging.

• Bordeaux 2014: Small quantities mark en primeur campaign amid flurry of releases 
  (Decanter) Prices up by between 15% and 25% on the 2013 vintage but small quantities on offer.

• 2015 Harvest Report: Australia and New Zealand 
  (Wine Searcher) New Zealand "an early start and an early finish " with a smaller harvest, especially for Sauvignon Blanc. Similar news from Australia with yields down but high quality expected, especially Margaret River and the Yarra Valley.

• 2015 Vintage Report: South Africa 
  (Wine Searcher) "Like a rat up a drainpipe being pursued by a Cape cobra" - up to a month early in places; a challenge, but with potentially high quality.

• 2015 Vintage Report: South America 
  (Wine Searcher) Heat, floods and volcanoes in Chile suggest a mixed vintage, while wet and warm in Argentina led to a fifficult harvest with a lot of rot.

• UK wine production hit record highs in 2014 
  (Decanter) U.K. Vineyards have doubled in the last 7 years (>2000ha) and now produce 6.3 million bottles, 4 million sparkling.

• Does California Have Droughts? 
  (Wines and Vines) Does California have a "normal" rainfall pattern? Although area like Paso Robles and the Central Valley are in water crisis others, such as Napa and Sonoma, are coping well.

• Moët Produces Bordeaux Blend in China's Shangri-La 
  (Wine Searcher) An exclusive Cabernet-Merlot blend from "a very, very remote part of China" is due for release in October 2015, "but it will be expensive".

• California drought will worsen, says forecasts 
  (The Drinks Business) After four years of drought California faces another long, dry summer.

April 2015

• China Overtakes France in Vineyard Area 
  (Wine Searcher) OIV statistics show that China is now second only to Spain for grape production, but 3rd place France still produces the most wine. The US is the biggest consumer, with Germany, U.K and U.S the biggest importers.

• Refusal to Spray Vines Lands Winemaker in Court 
  (Wine Searcher) Thibault Liger-Belair  has ended up in court after refusing to spray his Moulin-à-Vent vineyard for flavescence dorée, in a case similar to last year's "Biodynamic winemaker convicted for refusing to spray vines"

• Former TWE boss joins new digital TV channel dedicated to wine 
  (Harpers) David Dearie, the former CEO of Treasury Wine Estate, has joined the board of a new digital TV channel dedicated to wine.

• Wine bottler and wholesaler The Lanchester Group launches first retail shop 
  (Harpers) Bottling specialist and wholesaler The Lanchester Group has launched its first retail outline in County Durham.

• Kurniawan challenges wine fraud conviction 
  (The Drinks Business) Lawyers are challenging the 10-year sentence for wine fraud on a technicality, although even if successful Rudy Kurniawan would likely be deported to Indonesia.

• Majestic Wine Reveals US Ambitions With Naked Purchase 
  (Wine Searcher) Majestic buys Naked Wines for £70 million and installs NW founder Rowan Gormley as its new CEO.

• Alcohol Contributed to Bordeaux Château Helicopter Tragedy 
  (Wine Searcher) Pilot error ruled as the cause of the December 2013 tragedy that killed Chinese businessman and 3 others, with alcohol consumption "a contributing but not principal factor."

• New Zealand government to introduce Geographical Indications system 
  (Decanter) Although first passed in 2006 New Zealand ministers are now set to implement a Geographical Indications Registration Act.

March 2015

• Soil based bacteria key to wine style? 
  (The Drinks Business) New research suggests it's the bacteria in the soil that plays the biggest part in wine style & "terroir", with management of the vineyard "microbiome" an important future consideration in viticulture.

• Screwcap triumphs in maturation test 
  (The Drinks Busines) IN attempts to challenge existing misconceptions about screwcaps four prestige Australian reds went through a blind tasting at VinItaly; with the screwcap versions finding most favour after 10-14 years in bottle.

• Rain Brings Tragedy and Relief for Chilean Wineries 
  (Wine Searcher) 30mm of rain falls in 3 days in Northern Chile, after the last 3 years which saw only 45mm. It harvest time for Chilean winemakers so this causes major disruption.

• Coravin targets in home use as it starts to builds a Nespresso-style community 
  (Hapers) Coravin, the gadget that allows you drink wine without opening the bottle, is looking to broaden its reach in the UK through as it targets in-home users.

• Scaremongers Spark Fear Over Arsenic in Wine 
  (Wine-Searcher) In what seems to be a cynical economic ploy to create a market for wine testing a lawsuit is filed in the U.S. claiming high levels of Arsenic are to be found: "It's the equivalent of yelling fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire and in fact, everything's perfectly safe." 
  California's Wine Institute have published a Fact Sheet for those worried.

• Napa Winery Owner Executes Investor 
  (Wine-Searcher) Robert Dahl, of Dahl Vineyards in Yountville, shoots and kills his business partner before fleeing from deputies and later killing himself.

• UK budget: Chancellor courts wine drinkers with tax freeze 
  (Decanter) Chancellor George Osborne announced a freeze on wine duty, although beer & spirits saw tax cut, something that has not happened for wine since 1984. Only Ireland has higher taxes for wine in the E.U.

• Priorat wineries facing 'shortage of grapes' 
  (Decanter) Priorat and Mallorcan wineries are experiencing grape shortages this year leading to likely price increases and reduced availability.

• South African wine estates battle to save vineyards from fires 
  (Decanter) Wildfires near Cape Town may have scorched several vineyards and smoke-taint is a worry, although the early start to the 2015 grape harvest may have helped many wineries with a lot of fruit already pciked.

February 2015

• Tesco wine chief Dan Jago to return 
  (Decanter) After more than 4 months on suspension following the Tesco profits over-statement investigation Jago looks set to return in April as 'category director - group wine'.

• Starbucks to serve alcohol at UK outlets 
  (The Drinks Business) Starting with the Stanstead Airport store, wine & craft beers will be served along with food after 4pm.

• Deadly vine diseases now 'top priority' for French winemakers 
  (Decanter) Esca, black dead arm and eutypa lowered potential wine production by 13% in France in 2014 with government figures showing more than 100,000 hectares of vineyard lost.
  For a detailed look at the diseases read our Blog piece from January 2012, "The Rise of Grapevine Trunk Disease".

• Kent vineyard Chapel Down signs deal on new land 
  (Harpers) Kent winery Chapel Down is looking to bump up production and has signed deals to double the land it holds under lease to 130 hectares.

• The oldest grape seeds of the Western Mediterranean found in Sardinia 
  (Swide, via La Repubblica) A team from the University of Cagliari has discovered grape vine seeds dating back to the Nuragica civilization from the Late Bronze Age (1286–1115 BC). Analysis of the pips suggest Vernaccia and Malvasia varieties which were not imported by the Phoenicians, as previously thought - the full research paper can be read here.

January 2015

• Vinopolis to close at the end of 2015 
  (The Drinks Business) London's wine experience venue Vinopolis is to close after 15 years, described as “the best possible decision for the business and its shareholders.”

• Wine is now the UK's most popular alcohol drink 
  (Harpers) Wine is now the most popular alcohol drink with 60% of adults, according to a new poll commissioned by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

• 'Alcohol archaeologist' creates authentic ales and wines using 2,000-year-old residues in pots 
  (Daily Mail) Dr Patrick McGovern analyses residues found on fragments of pottery and studies references in texts to create ancient brews.

• One (large) glass of wine increases stroke risk by third 
  (The Telegraph) Drinkers in their fifties and sixties who had at least two units a day had a 34 per cent greater risk of stroke than those who consumed just under half the amount. This is the latest in a run of scientific research into the benefits or risk of alcohol: One day off drink a week lowers disease risk; Does moderate drinking reduce heart failure risk?

• Germany to consume more wine than Italy by 2018, says Vinexpo 
  (Decanter) Germany will overtake Italy to become the world's third largest wine consuming nation within four years, but the US still leads France ad number one. Individual consumption is topped by France & Italy at 45 litres per person each year.

• New home for 500 year old wine 
  (Wine-Searcher) A wine made in 1472 - and only tasted 3 times - has been transferred to a new barrel following leakage in the previous one in Alsace.

• Study: A drink a day keeps the doctor away 
  (The Drinks Business) While excessive drinking increases risks, for men who drank up to seven alcoholic drinks a week the risk of heart failure was down by a 20% compared to those who completely abstain from alcohol.

• Think You Know How Resveratrol Works? Think Again 
  (Wine Spectator) Research suggests that even low levels of Resveratrol may still provide a protective effect for cells.

• French court places 1855.com in liquidation 
  (Decanter) The Tribunal de Commerce in Paris has put French online wine merchant Heracles into liquidation. The company included 1855, ChateauOnline (renamed Ares) and Cave Privee businesses, owed millions of euros to creditors and buyers who never received wines purchased en primeur.

• Why Australians are using sunblock to protect grape crops 
  (BBC) Winemakers in Australia have taken to putting sunscreen on their grapes to prevent them from burning in the sun.

• Wine drinkers pay over the odds as inflation rockets 3.4% in December 
  (Harpers) Inflation may have fallen to 0.5% in December, but wine drinkers haven’t felt the benefit of the drop in the cost of living as inflation on wine rose 3.4% in the same period.

• Wine world pays tribute to Serge Hochar who dies, aged 75 
  (Decanter) The driving force behind the success of Lebanon's Chateau Musar dies at 75 in a swimming accident while on holiday in Mexico.

 For 2014's wine news click here