The global wine trade. A U.S. perspective.
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The Centre-Loire’s annual report describes a harvest shaped by early budburst, frost, hail and summer heat. Picking ran from 12 August to around 11 September. The Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre says fruit reached wineries in healthy condition, but yields varied widely; it reports fresh whites and concentrated, deeply coloured reds.
Vineyard & cellar
At a London seminar, vineyard consultant and winemaker Pedro Parra argued that heat and water stress are challenging established practices in Burgundy and other regions. He urged growers to map vineyard soils, track vine health and yields, and review whether rootstocks and winemaking methods suit changing conditions. Parra is also working on a winery project in Sussex.
Vineyard & cellar
Manuela Lo Conte’s Sommelier India article describes how shifting weather patterns are complicating vineyard and cellar decisions in India. Producers reportedly harvested about five days earlier over the past two vintages, though seasonal variation remains considerable. The piece also examines double pruning, fruit-ripening trade-offs, soil care and disease-resistant grape varieties as possible tools for adapting.
Vineyard & cellar
Zorzettig has inaugurated Cantina Viva in Colli Orientali del Friuli, bringing its production activities together while adding spaces for visitors and cultural programming. The company says the facility is designed to improve processes and working conditions, incorporates energy-efficiency and water-recovery measures, and retains its historic barrel cellar. The opening coincides with the start of a 2026 winemaking collaboration with Luca D’Attoma.
Vineyard & cellar
A first-person essay on Spain’s changing wine identity highlights old-vine field blends, indigenous varieties and renewed attention to vineyard sites beyond the best-known regions. Its examples include unfortified Vinos de Pasto in Sherry, new styles from Txakolina and a revival of red grapes in Rías Baixas. The piece frames these developments as a return to inherited practices, adapted to changing conditions and tastes.
Vineyard & cellar
Moldovan growers are contending with low grape procurement prices and higher operating and transport costs, despite a projected 10% to 15% rise in wine-grape output this season. Radio Moldova reports that indicative processing-grape prices are €0.34 to €0.41 per kilogram, while one grower estimates production costs of €3,250 to €3,500 per hectare.
Vineyard & cellar
A Decanter opinion examines why Côte-Rôtie growers have not agreed on a Burgundy-style vineyard classification. The appellation spans 343 hectares and 73 lieux-dits, but those boundaries do not necessarily reflect consistent terroir. While producers have proposed ways to rank sites, the article says the appellation’s co-presidents have no current intention to establish a cru system.
Vineyard & cellar
Decanter’s annual report assessed 342 wines released between July 2025 and July 2026, finding producers divided over how to respond to climate pressures and define the region’s identity. The tasting highlighted work on old-vine genetics, strong value among Crianza wines and the small number of Gran Reservas submitted.
Vineyard & cellar
Vineyard & cellar
Vineyard & cellar
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
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
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.
Vineyard & cellar
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
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%.
Vineyard & cellar
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.
Vineyard & cellar
Growers across Monterey and Santa Cruz counties reported an unusually early 2026 harvest and reduced crops after warm winter weather was followed by cool, wet, breezy conditions during flowering. Losses varied sharply by site, with some mountain vineyards reporting severe reductions. Several winemakers described small berries and concentrated flavors, while Arroyo Seco growers reported yields closer to normal.