News

Issues affecting the wine industry and the wine you drink

  • Insights into the Champagne Market

    Insights into the Champagne Market

    The American Association of Wine Economists recently shared an enlightening table of the main champagne houses by turnover. The 2024 champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the market, with the top three producers together holding about 61.59%, and the top five controlling over 72.1%. The median turnover…

  • How Wildfire Smoke Affects Wines

    How Wildfire Smoke Affects Wines

    A new study by resarchers at USA Oregon State University looked at why some red wines, especially Pinot noir, can taste ashy or smoky if the grapes were exposed to wildfire smoke before harvest. When grapes are exposed to smoke, they absorb certain chemicals that later end up in the wine. These chemicals include volatile…

  • Shifting Tastes in a Changing Global Market

    Shifting Tastes in a Changing Global Market

    The IWSR Global Trends Report 2025 highlights a number of developments that reflect a complex and evolving wine marketplace, shaped by economic, social and technological forces. Premiumisation remains a feature of the wine category, but it is no longer uniform. Economic pressures and changing values mean consumers are increasingly selective, opting for premium wines in…

  • US 15% Tariff Looms Over EU Wine and Spirits

    US 15% Tariff Looms Over EU Wine and Spirits

    The Financial Times is reporting (paywall) that the United States is set to impose a 15% tariff on European Union wine and spirits from Friday 1st August 2025, despite lobbying by France and Italy to exempt these products. The European Commission confirmed that while some goods, like aircraft and cork, have secured exemptions, wine and…

  • Shifting Alcohol Habits in the UK and Beyond

    Shifting Alcohol Habits in the UK and Beyond

    Moderation in alcohol consumption, driven by both health and economic concerns, continues to shape global drinking habits, though patterns vary by region and age group. Research from IWSR reveals that consumer spending on alcohol is declining across most of the top 15 global markets. A key indicator is a 20% drop in per capita pure…

  • New WineGB Industry Report 2025

    New WineGB Industry Report 2025

    The new WineGB Industry Report 2025 highlights continued resilience and growth in the English and Welsh wine sector, despite economic pressures and regulatory challenges. The number of vineyards has risen to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. Kent remains the leading county for…

  • How Science is Uncorking the Secrets of Early Winemaking

    How Science is Uncorking the Secrets of Early Winemaking

    A new paper, Advancement and Innovation in Ancient Wine Research by Emlyn Dodd and Dimitri Van Limbergen offers a comprehensive look at how modern archaeological and scientific techniques are transforming our understanding of ancient wine. For wine enthusiasts today, several aspects of the research are particularly compelling, as they provide not only historical context but…

  • Financial Struggles Mount for English Wineries Amid Market Pressures

    Financial Struggles Mount for English Wineries Amid Market Pressures

    DrinkRetailing is reporting that a growing number of English wine producers are facing financial strain and seeking to sell, according to Chris Spofforth of Savills, a leading estate agency specialising in vineyards across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. He noted that while more opportunities now exist for buyers, mature wine businesses are proving harder to sell…

  • Gen Z Drinking More Alcohol

    Gen Z Drinking More Alcohol

    Despite widespread cost-of-living pressures and a global trend towards alcohol moderation, younger legal-drinking-age consumers, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly re-engaging with alcohol, according to IWSR’s Bevtrac consumer sentiment tracker. Although overall spending on alcohol has declined across leading global markets, Gen Z’s participation has notably risen, challenging the belief that this generation is turning away…

  • UK Tariffs Impact Spanish Wines

    UK Tariffs Impact Spanish Wines

    Reuters is reporting that Spanish red wine exports to the UK have dropped by 7.5% in value during the first four months of 2025, largely due to new British tariffs based on alcohol content. These changes, introduced in February, have hit Spanish wines hardest, especially reds, which typically contain more than 12.5% alcohol due to…

  • Tensions Between Wine Growers and Supermarkets

    Tensions Between Wine Growers and Supermarkets

    International Supermarket News reports on rising tensions between growers and supermarkets. It also highlights increasing cost of wine and shows how much more expensive it is in the UK compared to France. Aldi France has come under fire after its national wine buyer claimed wines priced as low as €1.99 are still profitable for growers….

  • Trade Associations Raise Urgent Concerns Over EPR Base Fees for Glass Packaging

    Trade Associations Raise Urgent Concerns Over EPR Base Fees for Glass Packaging

    Drinks Retailing is reporting that ahead of the announcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) base fees this week, a coalition of trade associations has written to Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, outlining significant concerns, particularly regarding the impact on glass packaging. The group, which includes the Scotch…

  • Alcohol Doesn’t Completely Evaporate During Cooking

    Alcohol Doesn’t Completely Evaporate During Cooking

    The Drinks Business has an interesting article that challenges the common belief that alcohol completely evaporates during cooking. While it’s true that heat causes alcohol to evaporate, the process is more complex than often assumed. Scientific tests show that depending on the cooking method and duration, a significant amount of alcohol can remain in food….

  • Wine e-Commerce on the Rise

    Wine e-Commerce on the Rise

    I noticed a trend, at the London Wine Fair, that producers are increasingly selling directly via their own and wine platforms, and this shift is supported by recent data from IWSR, which projects that the global online alcohol market will exceed $36 billion by 2028. According to IWSR’s Ecommerce Strategic Study, covering 18 key markets…

  • The Real Reasons Why Gen Z Drinks Less

    The Real Reasons Why Gen Z Drinks Less

    The new free report by Rabo Research explores why Generation Z appears to be consuming significantly less alcohol. Although this report is based on data from the United States, its insights are globally relevant. The cultural, technological, and economic forces shaping Generation Z’s drinking habits are not confined to national borders. Similar patterns are observable…

  • Wine in Pubs is an Opportunity

    Wine in Pubs is an Opportunity

    I don’t visit UK pubs all that often, but when I do, I rarely find the wine experience enjoyable. Over the past year alone, I’ve been served red wine that had been stored next to warm lights, had small glasses filled nearly to the brim on multiple occasions and even came across a pub that…

  • Risks Undermining EPR Goals

    Risks Undermining EPR Goals

    At the London Wine Fair on 21 May 2025, Harshal Gore from PackUK, an arm of Defra, provided an update on the ongoing developments around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). While acknowledging EPR as strategically sound, Gore admitted the scheme has suffered repeated setbacks. He pointed out that 2025 has marked significant progress, with the establishment…

  • Global Wine Market Faces Long-Term Decline Amid Shifting Consumer Trends

    Global Wine Market Faces Long-Term Decline Amid Shifting Consumer Trends

    Wine Australia’s latest Market Bulletin explores a significant global trend in the wine industry: a consistent and widespread decline in wine consumption over recent years. Between 2018 and 2023, global consumption dropped by around 3.1 billion litres, equivalent to approximately 31 billion standard glasses of wine. This pattern of reduction is not limited to one…

  • Potential Impacts on Wine Trade Due to Tariffs

    Potential Impacts on Wine Trade Due to Tariffs

    The new working paper (PDF) examines the projected impact of a US-initiated global tariff hike on the international trade of wine, beer and spirits, set to begin on 8 July 2025. Authored by Kym Anderson and Glyn Wittwer, of the Wine Economics Research Centre, University of Adelaide, the study uses a detailed global model of…

  • Global and UK Wine Market Insights

    Global and UK Wine Market Insights

    The International Vine and Wine Organisation’s new report on the global vine and wine sector in 2024 outlines a challenging year shaped by ongoing climatic and economic pressures. Worldwide vineyard surface area continued to shrink for the fourth consecutive year, now standing at 7.1 million hectares. Major vine-growing countries such as Spain and France saw…