News
Issues affecting the wine industry and the wine you drink
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Enhanced Recycling to Affect Wine Prices
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has advised UK wine businesses to include the costs of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations in their financial forecasts. At the London Wine Fair, WSTA’s Director of Policy, Simon Stannard, highlighted the need for businesses to prepare for these regulations, set to come into effect in October 2025….
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New Research into Corked Wine
New research provides deeper insights into corked wine. Corked wine is primarily caused by the compound 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA), which imparts a musty, mouldy smell to the wine. This compound is mainly produced through a microbial process and can originate from cork stoppers or the winemaking environment. Cork is the primary source due to potential contamination…
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Wine is All the Rave
The Drinks Business is reporting that wine raves are becoming a popular way to introduce Generation Z to wine. Instead of traditional wine tastings, these events combine wine with rave-style parties in locations like Hackney studios or warehouses. Initiatives like New Theory and Close Ties host these events, featuring local DJs and offering an immersive…
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Not Enough Wine: Short Measures
According to a study reported by The Guardian, more than two-thirds of beer and wine sold in UK pubs and bars are short-measured, costing the average consumer approximately £115 annually. Trading standards officers, who visited 77 venues and conducted 137 test purchases, found 70% had less drink than declared. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)…
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Wine Demand is Back Up – At Least in the US
An article on Wine Searcher Wine Comes Roaring Back discusses the surprising rebound of the wine industry in the USA after pandemic-induced declines. Recent data shows Millennials are increasingly consuming and spending more on wine than Baby Boomers. Wineries are adapting by appealing to younger demographics with eco-friendly practices and inclusive marketing. Notable growth is…
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The Paradoxes of Dealcoholised Wine Production
In the DrinksBusiness, an anonymous wine producer criticises the growing trend of dealcoholised wines, arguing that the process is energy-intensive, costly, and significantly alters the wine’s original qualities, resulting in a product that lacks flavour and structure. The producer contends that the necessary additives to recreate the wine’s taste and stability are unnatural and environmentally…
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Soil Affects Wine Taste, But Not How You Might Expect
The idea that the soil in which grapevines grow affects the taste of wine is a long-standing and popular belief in the wine industry. This notion, often referred to as a constituent of terroir, suggests that the unique characteristics of the soil, impart distinct flavours and aromas to the wine. However, the scientific correlation between…
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Global Trends in Wine Preferences
Wine Australia’s new market bulletin, based on 2023 IWSR research, reveals that grape variety continues to significantly influence consumer wine choices, ranking as a top two factor in seven out of ten key markets. These markets include Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, and China. In contrast, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore…
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Visual Cues in Wine Advertising
New research explores the impact of visual cues on consumer perception and purchasing decisions in an e-commerce environment, specifically within the context of online wine sales. The authors conducted a series of experiments using both hedonistic (represented by a glass of wine) and utilitarian (represented by grapes) visual symbols to determine their effects on various…
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Exploring Sustainability Trade-offs in Non-Alcoholic Wine Production
New research titled “Balancing Gains and Losses—A Research Note on Tradeoffs in the Case of Non-Alcoholic Wines in Germany,” authored by Frederik Nikolai Schulz, Alexander A. Kugel, and Jon H. Hanf, in Germany, explores the increasing significance of non-alcoholic wines . It highlights the dynamic market development of these products in recent years and addresses…
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The Influence of Wine Descriptions
New research looks into the impact of verbal descriptions on wine tasting experiences, focusing on two types of wine—Riesling and Muscat Bailey A (MBA). The study included 46 participants divided into social drinkers and wine experts. They were presented with wines accompanied by different descriptions and asked to evaluate various attributes such as palatability, sweetness,…
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Mud House Win a Holiday Competition
Mud House is collaborating with Coolstays with a new promotional campaign, ‘Taste a World of Adventure’. Fifteen lucky Mud House customers will win a significant getaway package that includes £1000 in spending money. Additionally, one hundred customers will have the chance to win a premium backpack made from recycled materials. Participants can enter the competition…
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Electronic Tongue vs Humans
A new study evaluates the effectiveness of an electronic tongue (e-tongue) compared to human sensory panels in detecting faults in Riesling wine over a 42-day storage period. Riesling wines either unmodified (control) or inoculated with specific microorganisms known for spoiling wine were assessed every seven days using both the e-tongue and a sensory panel. The…
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Research Into What Causes Minerality
There’s new research by University of Reading’s School of Agriculture on Minerality in Wine: Textual Analysis of Chablis Premier Cru Tasting Notes. The concept of minerality in wine, often used to describe the sensory qualities of high-quality white wines from cooler regions like Chablis, has been subject to much debate and analysis. Minerality is typically…
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New UK Wine Funding Comes with Dubious New Reforms
The UK government has launched the Future Winemakers’ Scheme with an investment of £1.5 million to support the burgeoning domestic wine industry, focusing on the education and training of future viticulturists and winemakers. Announced by Environment Secretary Steve Barclay at the WineGB conference, this initiative aims to cultivate skilled professionals to sustain and expand the…
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New Research Adds to the Story of Wine and Health
Up to recently, there has been an intriguing relationship between culture, diet and health outcomes, particularly focusing on the Mediterranean diet and the historic and cultural significance of wine. The concept of the French Paradox played a central role in this narrative, highlighting the seemingly contradictory observation that the French population enjoys a lower incidence…
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Free Booze Cruises
French wine shops Calais Vins and Olivier Vins have collaborated with P&O Ferries to offer British citizens complimentary ferry trips to Calais for wine purchases. This partnership allows customers who spend €300 or more at these stores to receive a free return day trip from Dover to Calais, with a three-day return trip available for…
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Evolution of the Drinks Industry
Drinks retailing news has an interview with Mauricio González-Gordon, president, González Byass known for brands like Beronia, Tio Pepe, Quinta do Noval, Wirra Wirra, Jackson Estate and Disznókő Tokaji. Mauricio González-Gordon has a long background in the drinks industry, spanning over three decades. He has witnessed substantial changes in winemaking origins and global consumption patterns….
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Do You Want a ‘Watered’ Down Version of a Wine?
Richard Siddle writes on the London (Trade) Wine Fair web site on how our wines might be changing soon, without our consent. Richard discusses the complexities and strategies behind wine selection and sales in retail outlets, driven primarily by industry dynamics rather than consumer preference. Factors like international currency strength, harvest quality and government taxes…
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The Challenges of Contemporary Wine Scoring
WineMag has an informative article by Jamie Goode, who wrote the Wine Science book, that looks into wine scores. Jamie notes a significant expansion in the wine criticism landscape, with numerous critics adopting the 100-point scale, except for a few like Jancis Robinson who opted for a 20-point scale. However, Jamie observes a narrowing in…
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