“The jolts of 2020 have been an education. The lesson is care: Covid has taught us to care for each other; fire and other climate disasters insist we now care for the atmosphere and the biosphere. We cannot afford more carelessness,” writes Andrew Jefford in Decanter. “Across this month, we’ll all sit down to taste the best wines we can. Each is a message from somewhere: ‘this place is special’. Every wine resumes a season, a climate narrative; every wine tells a story of human partnership with nature. Its passage to your table comes at some environmental cost, and that we must rectify; but wine’s 8,000-year history is also proof that we can draw sustenance and joy from our environment without causing it damage. Quite the contrary: wine inspires care.”

In Wine Enthusiast, Ian Le Guillou reports on how scientists are using discarded tannins to create plastics that could extend the shelf life of packaged food.

In Atlas Obscura, Rafael Tonon explores the tradition of Turriculae, an ancient Roman wine with added seawater that winemakers are experimenting with again today.

In Bloomberg, Barossa Valley winemakers speak about the impact of China’s wine tariff.

On WineBusiness.com, Peter Mitham reports on the latest off-premise wine sales stats.

In Forbes, Cathrine Todd profiles Jules Taylor, a female New Zealand winemaker celebrating 20 years of her own wine brand.

In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague highlights value sparkling wines.

Photo courtesy of Champagne Billecart-Salmon

In the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre on what Billecart-Salmon’s first brut nature Champagne means for the industry. “When champagne does change, it’s at a glacial pace usually driven from the outside. The region will only alter its formula in response to market demand. And these changes tend to be on the fringes. One such market-driven change is a niche called brut nature, or non-dosage wines. A traditional house like Billecart-Salmon embracing this trend is noteworthy.”

Tom Wark highlights 10 takeaways from American wine trends in 2020. “In my 30 years in this industry, no year has delivered up so much in the way of disruption. And even with these 12 months nearly behind me, it is still difficult to use hindsight to make any definite predictions about the coming 12 months.”

According to Vitisphere: “The Covid pandemic has wrought havoc on French wine exports. From January to September 2020, France exported 9.8 million hectolitres of wine worth 5.9 billion euros according to the latest data compiled by Business France (see graphics below). The data translated to a drop of 7.5% in volume and 17% in value compared to 2019.”

“The average bottle price of winery direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipments continues to decline as the overall sales volume of the channel increases, while the opposite trend is taking place in retail channels,” reports Andrew Adams for WineBusiness.com.

On his blog, Alfonso Cevola looks ahead to the Italian wines he wants to drink in 2021.

An illegal winery was found in a sewage plant in Alabama, according to Mike Pomranz in Food & Wine. Authorities called it one of the largest illegal wine production operations they’ve ever seen.

In Forbes, Joseph Micalleff reports on why some winemakers are deciding to distill smoke damaged grapes.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Sales of wine, beer and spirits are up across the board, but consumers are also trading up and spending more, reports Paul Sullivan in the New York Times. “The difference this time is that the people who are still employed are not spending money elsewhere. They’re not traveling and not going out to dinner. Instead, they’re looking to buy something that will make yet another dinner at home more interesting. And because they’re not paying the markups that bars and restaurants usually charge, they can afford higher quality bottles.”

“Despite the most disastrous year for travel in generations, a majority of wineries in the world believe wine tourism will recover, but not until 2022,” writes W. Blake Gray in Wine-Searcher.

In Meininger’s, Jeff Siegel looks at the success of Vinebox, an American company that’s used wine tube technology to build a thriving subscription service.

“Few vineyards in California are as evocative as Monte Rosso,” says Antonio Galloni, who explores the vineyard for Vinous. “Known for producing wines of extraordinary character and longevity, Monte Rosso (‘red mountain’) is every bit as magical as its name suggests.”

In Wine Enthusiast, J’Nai Gaither explores all the grape varieties that can be used to make Champagne.

Jancis Robinson recommends “sweet and strong” festive wines for the holidays.

In VinePair, Tim McKirdy delves into the story of Taylor California Cellars, Coca-Cola’s forgotten foray into the wine industry.

“Forget about what 2020 deserves. We have earned all the sparkling wine we want.” Eric Asimov recommends some bottles of bubbly for leaving this year behind.

PUNCH also has a few sparkling wine recommendations for bottles under $50.

In SevenFifty Daily, Alia Akkam talks to wine pros about the corks they’ll be popping on New Year’s Eve.

In the Financial Times, Alice Lascelles talks to sommeliers about their picks for Christmas wines.

“The selling of my wine business last month has given me some time to reflect on my own experiences in the trade, in particular the sexism I so often encountered from customers. “ Charlie Brown expands on wine’s sexism problem, with a post titled, “The Wider Problem of Sexism in the Wine Trade.”

“Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found that a novel technique using ‘‘fluorescence spectroscopy’ could provide a relatively simple and rapid way to help detect wine fraud.” Chris Mercer reports on the new findings in Decanter.

The book trade has had a difficult time in the pandemic, but some of their solutions may be applicable to wine, says Robert Joseph in Meininger’s.

In Wine Enthusiast, Michael Schachner explores the wine story of Uruguay.

In Vinous, Neal Martin offers his notes on the 2019 Burgundy vintage.

Wine Country is officially closed for wine tastings under the Bay Area’s new stay-at-home order, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Also in the Chronicle, Esther Mobley highlights 12 California wines that define 2020.

In Wine Spectator, Black Girls Wine Society founder Shayla Varnado talks to reporter MaryAnn Worobiec about what inspired her to launch the group and how the wine industry can better reach women of color.

“Wine forger Rudy Kurniawan has been moved away from a Covid-19 outbreak in an El Paso prison to a prison in the high desert of New Mexico as the US prepares to deport him,” reports W. Blake Gray in Wine-Searcher.

In New Jersey Monthly, I make a toast to the Garden State’s sparkling wines.

In Vinous, Eric Guido offers notes on Italy’s Prosecco and Franciacorta. “It is a mistake to constantly [be] comparing these two regions. When you look to Franciacorta and its aim at the high end – to create Italy’s greatest sparkling wine – its value suddenly becomes apparent… In the end, I invite you to think outside the box. To look beyond the stereotypes in sparkling wine. To perhaps save a bit of money without sacrificing quality and, possibly, have and share a revelatory moment.”

In Forbes, Lana Bortolot recommends a handful of wine books for holiday gifting.

Mike Veseth, the wine economist, explores recent developments in the world of Portuguese wine.

In TRINK, Daniela Dejnega explores the obscure grape Roter Veltliner’s comeback.

In Nieman Lab, Rachel del Valle looks at how media brands are embracing wine clubs to keep revenue flowing. “The opening of these clubs initially created by a lack of general knowledge and access has been narrowing in recent years. Many of today’s avid wine consumers are less interested in being told what to drink or what’s the best and are more inclined to learn how to choose for themselves. Punny exclusive bottles may be less important than bona fide expertise. The idea of wine buying as a skill to be developed rather than a service to be off-loaded applies at a certain income level that matches up well with the model wine club subscriber.”

Natural winemakers have long sought attention with risqué wine labels. But where is the border between bawdy fun and outright misogyny on a wine label? Aaron Ayscough asks the winemakers in Meininger’s.

Covid-19 and the economic impact caused by the pandemic poses the most acute challenge to the global wine industry, the 2020 ProWein Business Report has found, overtaking climate change and the fear of tax hikes and minimum pricing on alcohol in terms of importance.

In TRINK, Anne Krebiehl delves into the history—and future—of Sekt. “Fine German Sekt is about site selection, viticulture, harvest point, scrupulous sorting and work, spontaneous ferments and long ageing on lees of the base wines – followed by long ageing on lees in bottle. The good news is that not only grand, old estates are doing this – no, finest fizz is now made across all four degrees of Germany’s winemaking latitudes.”

On WineBusiness.com, Linda Jones McKee explores the future of agriculture and the resiliency of wines in a changing climate.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Esther Mobley highlights a California version of Schioppettino.

In Grape Collective, Jackson Mattek talks to Tim Shand of the Yarra Valley’s Punt Road to talk cool climate, Australian wine misconceptions, and the past and future of this historic and lauded region.

In Wine Enthusiast, Amber Lucas looks at how Millennials and Gen Z could save the wine industry. “These generations have already impacted the wine business. Millennials created the thriving rosé wine market, and Gen Z, which has never known life without the internet, demands better online marketing… While previous generations embraced the formality of wine scores and noble grapes, younger audiences are excited about cofermentation methods, lesser-known wine regions and varieties, and brands that align with their values.”

In TRINK, Sebastian Bordthäuser explores Germany’s Sekt. “A growing number of vintners are challenging their preconceptions, and incorporating organic cultivation, timely harvests, spontaneous fermentation, and reduced dosage. Many controversial still wine philosophies, including minimal intervention and a complete absence of sulfur, are easy to implement and lead to truly novel results. As vintners continue to play to their strengths, the conversation has long since moved past bubbles as the firestarter and into enduring expressions of origin and vintage.”

With fluctuating wine prices, is Burgundy up or down? Felicity Carter takes a look in Meininger’s.

In Wine-Searcher, Oliver Styles looks at “wine’s problem with old, white men” after a New Zealand wine critic’s attack on a natural winemaker.

Also in Wine-Searcher, Kathleen Willcox reports on how sommeliers are learning to survive—and even thrive—despite Covid and wine’s often-toxic culture.

In VinePair, Diana Hawkins on how to find opportunities for wine mentorship and education outside the CMS.

In Vinous, Josh Raynolds shares his impressions of the 2017 and 2018 Paso Robles vintages.

Sonoma wineries were forced to close over the weekend following the new stay-at-home order, reports Esther Mobley in the San Francisco Chronicle.

In Wine Enthusiast, Stacy Briscoe reports on the wine industry’s educational institutions evolving in the face of change. “…weighing the differences of wine certification institutions needs to be part of a larger conversation… Unconscious biases and other prejudices based on race, gender, sexuality, religion and the like are currently topics of discussion in the wine industry, but these issues extend far beyond wine.”

Also in Wine Enthusiast, Shana Clark asks: Is now the time to invest in wine?

In Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray looks into whether your home insurance policy will cover your wine collection. (Most do not.)

On JancisRobinson.com, Alder Yarrow reports on the issue of smoke taint in California this year. (subscription req.)

In the Buyer, Justin Keay explains why export is key to Lebanon wines’ long road to recovery.

Dave McIntyre recommends a handful of the year’s best wine books in the Washington Post.

In Meininger’s, Felicity Carters tests the Master the World wine tasting kit.

In Bloomberg, Elin McCoy highlights the 10 best wines she’s tasted this year.

It’s been a long year, and this is a very different holiday season. But I hope you and yours are safe, healthy, and have an enjoyable holiday season, whatever you are celebrating.

In the spirit of the holidays, I’ve gathered up a collection of wines from all over the world that could add some cheer in the coming winter.

From one of the brightest, most complex Soaves I’ve tried in a long time, to Quilceda Creek’s second wine and the new vintage of Napa’s Cardinale, I’ve found some beauties. Merry Edwards’ first vintage of a Sauvignon Blanc dessert wine is absolutely delicious, and worth checking out, especially if you (like me) are a fan of their classic Sauv Blanc.

There’s some Champagne and other bubbles, of course. And if you’re not up for opening a full bottle, this report also includes several 375ml examples that are widely available in the U.S.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. Read the rest of this entry »

In the New York Times, Eric Asimov shares his 10 most memorable wines of 2020, a year without travel or normal restaurant experiences. “None of these experiences, so integral to what I hope to accomplish each year, were available in 2020. Neither were the memories built through the usual sort of reporting in the field. With a few exceptions from early on, my memories are drawn largely from what I drank at home, my thoughts entwined with the pain of the Covid-19 pandemic, the killing of George Floyd, the political discord and all else that will consign 2020 to the annals of infamy.”

Robert Camuto profiles Ca’ del Bosco’s Maurizio Zanella in Wine Spectator. “Zanella has grown Ca’ del Bosco from a few acres under vine into an acclaimed, organically farmed, 600-acre estate producing about 150,000 cases of still and sparkling wines annually. It’s best known for its high-end Franciacorta DOCG bottlings made from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. And he’s done it by sticking to extremes.”

In Wine Enthusiast, Kristen Richard tests out three DIY home winemaking kits.

In Wine & Spirits Magazine, Patrick Comiskey reports on how Tablas Creek is embracing regenerative agriculture.

Adam Lechmere ponders the future of wine in cans in Club Oenologique.

In Quench, Doug Frost delves into the history, diversity and quality of Vinho Verde.

In SevenFifty Daily, Rachel Tepper Paley looks at how industry veterans are launching side gigs in the health space.