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Issues affecting the wine industry and the wine you drink

  • How Label Colour Shapes Wine Buying Decisions

    How Label Colour Shapes Wine Buying Decisions

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    Simon

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    New research looks into the psychological impact of wine label colour on consumers, examining how black and white versus colour labels affect the perceived value and appeal of red and white wines. It highlights that black and white labels significantly elevate the perceived quality and exclusivity of red wines, thereby increasing consumer interest and willingness…

  • Adapting Winemaking Due to Climate Change

    Adapting Winemaking Due to Climate Change

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    Wine Searcher has an informative article titled Short and Sweet: The New Vintage Paradigm, exploring the challenges and adaptations facing the wine industry in the wake of climate change. As the globe warms, winemakers are have to cope with a significant shift in their traditional practices due to a compressed growing season for grapes. The…

  • How Modern Branding Could Revitalise the Wine Industry

    How Modern Branding Could Revitalise the Wine Industry

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    Just Drinks has a thought-provoking article on ‘Why Branding Could Be Behind Falling Wine Consumption‘. The wine industry is facing a challenging time with global wine consumption gradually declining since 2007, a trend that is accelerating. The article explains how the decline might be partially attributed to the wine industry’s approach to branding and marketing,…

  • Saperavi Grape

    Saperavi Grape

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    The Metro newspaper recently shed light on the ‘Saperavi’, a grape that originates from Georgia, between Eastern Europe and West Asia. Saperavi bears a striking resemblance in taste and character to Cabernet Sauvignon but with a twist. It also has the warming spice and rich texture reminiscent of a hearty Argentinian Malbec. What sets Saperavi…

  • Reducing Wine Consumption Through Serving Size

    Reducing Wine Consumption Through Serving Size

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    New research titled ‘Impact on wine sales of removing the largest serving size by the glass‘, published in PLOS Medicine, explores the effect of reducing wine serving sizes on wine sales. The study, conducted across 21 licensed premises in England, used an A-B-A method to compare wine sales during periods with and without the availability…

  • Ways Out of the Wine Crisis

    Ways Out of the Wine Crisis

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    Simon

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    A new report titled Ways out of the crisis, commissioned by ProWein, from Geisenheim University, based on a survey of over 2,000 wine industry members, highlights several key challenges and trends. Economic factors are the primary concerns in the industry. Cost increases, global economic downturn and decreasing wine consumption are significant threats, with 73%, 59%,…

  • Champagne Industry 2023 Retrospective

    Champagne Industry 2023 Retrospective

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    Recent data has highlighted a notable shift in the Champagne market for the year 2023. Following three years of exceptional performance, Champagne shipments have reverted to pre-pandemic levels, with a total of 299 million bottles shipped, marking an 8.2% decrease from the previous year. The industry witnessed a significant slump in 2020 with an 18%…

  • AI-Assisted Wine Discovery

    AI-Assisted Wine Discovery

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    Last year, the BBC highlighted the growing trend of AI-powered wine recommendation apps, such as FinpåVin, which are changing the way people select their next bottle of wine. However, Sippd, a notable application in this field, has recently shut down, raising doubts about the necessity of such technology for simplifying the process of choosing wine….

  • Young Britons Lead the Surge in Low and No Alcohol Drinks

    Young Britons Lead the Surge in Low and No Alcohol Drinks

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    Harpers is reporting revealing insight into the changing habits of UK drinkers. The latest YouGov poll, conducted in partnership with the Portman Group, has highlighted a significant shift towards low and no alcohol beverages, particularly among the younger generation. The survey, now in its sixth year, shows that nearly half of the 18-24 age group,…

  • Turning Winery Wastes into Wealth

    Turning Winery Wastes into Wealth

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    There’s new, interesting research from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, into the waste products, wine residues, from creating wine and how they can can be re-used to provide for more sustainable production. Wine residues are a complex mix of grape stalks, pomace (the solid remains of grape pressing), lees and wastewater. They are not just…

  • Redefining Wine Marketing

    Redefining Wine Marketing

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    Simon

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    Lulie Halstead, a prominent figure in the wine business, recently addressed the New Zealand Winegrowers Business Forum, sharing valuable insights from her 25-year experience in the industry. She highlighted a common mistake in wine marketing: the tendency of marketers to project their own preferences onto consumers, leading to a misalignment between what is offered and…

  • Italy Launches Campaign to Educate Britons on Prosecco Label

    Italy Launches Campaign to Educate Britons on Prosecco Label

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    Italy has initiated a campaign to educate Britons on the correct use of the term ‘Prosecco’. The Italian DOC Consortium launched an advertising campaign in London emphasising that Prosecco is a geographically protected label, reserved for sparkling wines produced in specific Italian regions. The campaign, displayed in over 80 locations in London, aims to reach…

  • Pint-Sized Wine Bottles for the UK

    Pint-Sized Wine Bottles for the UK

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    The BBC has an article describing a forthcoming change in the UK’s regulations regarding the size of wine bottles post-Brexit. The government has announced that still and sparkling wines will be available in pint-sized (568ml) bottles. This change, resulting from the departure from EU laws, is aimed at offering more variety to consumers. Previously, EU…

  • How Pesticide Residues Affect Wine Flavour

    How Pesticide Residues Affect Wine Flavour

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    A new study investigates the effect of imidacloprid, a common insecticide, on wine aroma and its transformation during the wine-making process. Imidacloprid is widely used in grape cultivation to control pests, but its residues can significantly impact the quality of wine. The research involved applying imidacloprid to grapes at standard and ten times the standard…

  • Britain’s Record-Breaking 2023 Grape Harvest

    Britain’s Record-Breaking 2023 Grape Harvest

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    WineGB has released ‘2023 Harvest Report – the big one‘ (PDF). The report estimates a production of 20-22 million bottles, a very large 50% increase from the previous record year in 2018. This bountiful harvest is attributed to exceptional performance from the top grape varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Bacchus – with the…

  • Unlocking the Secrets of Tannins

    Unlocking the Secrets of Tannins

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    Simon

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    Tannins in wines, particularly red wines, are compounds that contribute significantly to the taste, colour, and texture of the wine. New research looks into the complex world of these compounds, specifically proanthocyanidins (PAs). Proanthocyanidins are a group of polyphenolic compounds found in many plants, including grapes. The article explains that PAs in red wine are…

  • Court of Master Sommeliers Abandons ‘Old/New World’ Terms

    Court of Master Sommeliers Abandons ‘Old/New World’ Terms

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    Simon

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    Forbes is reporting that The Court of Master Sommeliers has announced that it will no longer use the terms ‘Old World’ and ‘New World’ in its published materials or examination assessments from 2024. This decision reflects the Court’s commitment to historical accuracy, reducing cultural bias, and acknowledging the growing difficulty in distinguishing between Old and…

  • EU Wine Consumption Decline and Export Uncertainties

    EU Wine Consumption Decline and Export Uncertainties

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    A new report from the EU, ‘EU Agricultural Outlook 2023 – 2035’ discusses the ongoing decline in EU wine consumption, a trend attributed to increased health awareness, changing preferences among younger consumers and competition from other beverages. This decline, particularly notable in red wines, varies across EU countries due to cultural and social factors. The…

  • Exploring Reductive Aromas in Wine

    Exploring Reductive Aromas in Wine

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    A recent article from SevenFifty Daily, written by Alex Russan, looks intothe complex topic of reductive aromas in wine, a subject that has polarised opinions in the wine industry. Reduction, chemically the opposite of oxidation, refers to the presence of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) in wine, often resulting from limited oxygen exposure. These compounds, which…

  • White and Rosé Now More Than Half of Global Consumption

    White and Rosé Now More Than Half of Global Consumption

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    A new article in Decanter, written by Rudy Ruitenberg, discusses the growing global consumption of white and rosé wines, which now accounts for more than half of the total wine consumption. This shift has been observed since 2010, with a notable increase in the demand for sparkling wine. The decline in red wine consumption, which…

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