Policy & regulation
Latest wine trade news
Vineyard & cellar
California grape growers face tough harvest as wine demand drops
Business & markets
Tesco eyes Majestic as Fortress sale heats up
Business & markets
Komerz submits a bid for Majestic Wine, challenging Tesco.
Distribution & retail
Brazil’s wine imports rose 9.1% in the first half of 2026.
Policy & regulation
Federal funding package offers diversification assistance to wine industry
Vineyard & cellar
Indigenous-owned California wineries broaden the meaning of terroir
A Decanter feature profiles California wineries and grape-growing operations whose owners connect wine to Indigenous land stewardship, history and culture. The examples include Bellacana Vineyards in Sonoma County, Sékah Hills in Capay Valley and Camins 2 Dreams in Santa Barbara and San Benito counties. The article also describes how some producers carry those connections into wine labels and visitor experiences.
Vineyard & cellar
Barossa’s 2024 Shiraz harvest fell sharply, while tasting finds broad quality
Dry winter conditions, spring frosts and rain during picking reduced Barossa Shiraz crops by an estimated 50% to 90%. The vintage produced 56,881 tonnes. Decanter’s tasting of 110 wines found consistent quality among its leading entries, with the report noting a shift toward freshness, balance and more approachable styles alongside the region’s fuller-bodied wines.
Vineyard & cellar
Calon Ségur looks to clay and rainwater reserves as Bordeaux faces drier seasons
At Saint-Estèphe’s Château Calon Ségur, technical director Vincent Millet sees water retention as an immediate climate-adaptation priority. Decanter reports that the estate is examining how clay-rich vineyard areas withstand dry conditions, while preserving winter rainwater as a potential irrigation resource subject to authorisation. The château is also increasing Cabernet Sauvignon plantings and using more precise parcel-by-parcel vinification.
Business & markets
Haut-Brion cellar auction totals €3.4m in Paris
Sotheby’s reported €3.4m in sales at an auction of Château Haut-Brion wines and experiences in Paris. A five-litre 1989 Haut-Brion sold for €62,500, which Sotheby’s said was an auction record for the wine in that format. A barrique of the 2025 vintage with an estate visit and overnight stay fetched €162,500.
Hospitality
Wine events turn to raves and unconventional pairings to attract younger drinkers
Decanter reports that wine bars, event organizers and retailers in the UK, U.S. and Europe are experimenting with DJs, casual food pairings and less formal tasting formats. Examples include a Brooklyn natural-wine party that draws more than 1,000 people, London events featuring lesser-known regions and a Wine Society pilot. The article also notes that some younger wine drinkers prefer serious, welcoming experiences over gimmicks.
Business & markets
Prosecco DOC expands UK advertising across Tube and Prime Video
The Prosecco DOC Consortium is running a UK campaign on the London Underground and Prime Video through mid-October. The effort is part of broader UK marketing, consumer engagement and trade activity, as the consortium seeks to build awareness of the denomination and its production rules.
Vineyard & cellar
Tenuta Luce Completes 2026 Harvest in Montalcino
Tenuta Luce says its 2026 harvest ran from August 26 to October 5, with picking dates tailored to ripening across its vineyards and varieties. The winery described the season as warm and dry after a cool, rainy winter and spring, with mid-September rain and cooler temperatures aiding Sangiovese ripening. Its first cellar tastings suggested balanced, finely structured wines, according to the estate.
Vineyard & cellar
Young German winemakers expand beyond Riesling, Jefford reports
Decanter columnist Andrew Jefford describes six Generation Riesling wineries in the Rheinhessen and Nahe, where younger producers make wines from a broad range of grapes and styles alongside Riesling. His visits also highlight pressure on German vineyards: the source says the country lost 1,300 hectares in 2025, while supermarket wine sales fell 7%.
Business & markets
Antinori reports €5m wine theft from Tuscan facility
Marchesi Antinori says about 30,000 bottles, including Tignanello, Solaia and Guado al Tasso, were stolen from a storage facility in Tuscany. The company said seven masked men disabled the alarm. The reported theft follows other high-value wine thefts in Italy this year.
Distribution & retail
Jon Pepper MW to become Hatch Mansfield CEO
Hatch Mansfield has appointed Jon Pepper MW as CEO, with Patrick McGrath MW moving from the chief executive role to chairman next month. Pepper joins from Stoli Group’s Tenute del Mondo Wine Group, where he was CEO for six years. The appointment follows a leadership restructuring announced earlier this year.
Vineyard & cellar
Slovenia earns 202 medals at Decanter World Wine Awards 2026
More than 45 producers from seven European countries presented medal-winning wines at the 12th Salon of Decanter medal winners in Slovenia. Decanter reported that Slovenian wineries received 202 medals, including two Platinum awards; Croatia recorded 40 top-tier medals, while Serbia won three Platinum and seven Gold medals.
Policy & regulation
Whisky associations challenge English Whisky GI approval
The Scotch Whisky Association has appealed DEFRA’s approval of the English Whisky geographical indication. In a joint statement, Irish, Scotch and Welsh whisky associations raised concerns about the GI’s process and production rules, particularly its allowance for mashing and fermentation away from the distillery. The English Whisky Guild says the GI codifies existing industry practices.