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Wines from Champagne are dominated by three varieties but an increasing number of grower Champagne producers are experimenting with the four ancestral grapes also permitted, discovers Essi Avellan in Club Oenologique. “Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris were heading towards extinction…Today, these ancestral grapes represent a minuscule fraction – 0.4 per cent, to be precise – of Champagne’s plantations, but over the past 20 years their planting has grown by 45 hectares to a total of 136. Even if these varieties do not pose a threat to the ‘The Big Three’, they bring versatility to Champagne and another dimension to its story. And they may also have a say in combatting the effects of climate change.”

In the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre looks at how wineries are utilizing satellite data and artificial intelligence to pick new climate-friendly sites.

In the World of Fine Wine, Sarah Marsh explores the wine regions of Canada, beginning in Ontario, with a hop around the varied terroirs and wines of the Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County.

Tom Hyland charts the rise of Rosso di Montalcino in Wine-Searcher. “While it originates from one of Italy’s most famous viticultural addresses, it’s not Brunello. Identifying it as a Rosso di Montalcino – merely a red wine from the territory – doesn’t exactly get many critics or consumers too excited. Worse yet, it’s been identified for years as a ‘baby Brunello,’ a left-handed compliment if there ever was one. Thankfully, the reality of the situation is vastly different for many local estates.”

In Wine Enthusiast, Amber Gibson surveys the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Oregon.

Retailers highlight their favorite rosés for the season in SevenFifty Daily.

In VinePair, Hannah Staab ponders the meaning of “texture” in white wines.