(Source: Chateau Ste. Michelle)

In Wine Spectator, Tim explores the past, present, and future of Washington’s Woodinville wine scene. “There were no wineries or tasting rooms in Woodinville when Ste. Michelle opened its iconic chateau in 1976. Columbia followed suit later, opening in 1988. The irony is, there were no vineyards there either, and that remains true today. Most vineyards are on the other side of the Cascades, in the vast Columbia Valley. It wasn’t until 2000 that Woodinville came into its own. That year, a state law changed, allowing wineries to open standalone tasting rooms. Prior to that, wines had to be produced on site before tastings were allowed. Satellite tasting rooms soon proliferated, feeding like little fish on Ste. Michelle’s annual bounty of 300,000-plus visitors. Today, there are about 110 tasting rooms. Let that sink in … 110! Even Healdsburg and Napa in California, known for a preponderance of tasting rooms, can’t claim that many.”

“Champagne sales are expected to reach a new record this year, despite inflation that could have made consumers shun the expensive bubbly, producers said ahead of the start of year-end celebrations around the world. Champagne sales reached an all-time high last year at $6.05 billion as the relaxation of pandemic-related curbs fueled a surge in exports.”

Will the Supreme Court finally make a definitive judgment on interstate shipping next year? W. Blake Gray reports on developments in Wine-Searcher.

The University of Minnesota is releasing its sixth cold-hardy wine grape, called Clarion.

In Wired, Matt Simon looks at how supply chain issues, drought, and war are making wine pricier.

In Forbes, Lauren Mowery talks with sommeliers and importers about the wines they’re excited to drink more of in 2023.

The Strategist highlights some of the best wine subscriptions out there.