Cabernet Franc. (WIkimedia)

Cabernet Franc is in high demand in California, reports Jess Lander in the San Francisco Chronicle, so much so that the grapes cost more than Cabernet Sauvignon. “The high cost, farming challenges, and limited supply could ultimately prevent the grape from becoming more than the latest fad…Growers are also unlikely to pull out more popular, lucrative grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, in favor of it, especially considering that Cabernet Franc is a notoriously challenging grape to farm.”

South Africans are struggling with crippling power cuts on a daily basis, which are imposing huge costs on business. As the country’s grape harvest gets under way, there are fears about the impact on the wine industry. Vumani Mkhize reports on the details for BBC.

In VinePair, Ari Bendersky looks into how rosé soared from a summer fad into a billion-dollar bright spot for wine in the U.S.

Across the Northern and Southern Rhône Valley—in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, St.-Joseph, Hermitage, Cornas and beyond—vintners are adapting to climate change by rethinking vineyard and cellar practices, even as old vines in top sites adapt and continue producing stellar wines. Kristen Bieler reports on the region in Wine Spectator.

On his blog, Alfonso Cevola ponders the lessons ballet taught him about wine. “How little we talk about the gracefulness of a wine. But if it is lacking, one notices it without a doubt. Does wine move? Of course, it moves though us, as we take it in. And therein is where one notes how well a particular wine might carry out its port de bras. Moreover, though is the feeling it leaves with us. It is rough? Is it smooth? Is it caustic? Is it mellow? Is it rich? Is it balanced?”

David Shortell explores wines from the state of Guanajuato, “Mexico’s hot new wine region,” in the Daily Beast.

On JancisRobinson.com, Tamlyn Currin reviews the book Rosés of Southern France.