NEW FAD: DIET BUBBLY
THERE’S SOMETHING NEW out there in the world of wine for the uber calorie-conscious: An English company called Thomson & Scott has created “Skinny Prosecco” and “Skinny Champagne”, which claim to be “healthier” than regular bubbly thanks to less added sugar. Currently only available in the UK, the new line... Read More
$8.44 MILLION FOR McCLENDON WINE COLLECTION
NOTHING DRIVES UP the price of a commodity at auction like a death. The wine collection of late Chesapeake Energy Corp. co-founder Aubrey McClendon sold for $8.44 million, above the estimated range and breaking records for some of the rare French bottles. Included are Bordeaux wines such as Chateau Mouton... Read More
U.S. SALES ARE STRONG
IT WAS A good summer for wine sales in the US, according to the latest findings by Wines Vines Analytics. Total US sales increased 3% in July to reach $2.9 billion, and direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipments rose by 23% to $82 million. The DtC growth is coming off a small base,... Read More
BULK WINE IS BIG
THE GROWING bulk wine category now accounts for 38.6% of global wine exports, with 39.49 million hectoliters exported around the world last year. In comparison, bottled wine accounted for 54.3% of global exports and sparkling wine just 7.1%. Since the year 2OOO, bulk wine has grown its total share of... Read More
BAD WEATHER BLUES
THE WEATHER has not been kind to France. Wine production is likely to be 1O% lower this year than in 2O15 because of bad frost in the spring and a late summer heatwave. A production of 42.9 million hectolitres (944 million gallons) is forecast for 2O16, down from last year’s... Read More
BLEAK NEWS IN CHABLIS
MORE BAD NEWS for Burgundy. Hailstones the size of golf balls pelted the Chablis region this summer. It was the final nail in the coffin of this year’s crop following unseasonable frosts and rain in April. More than 1OOO acres of prized Chardonnay vineyards, especially in the southwest of the... Read More
THE U.S. LOVES ITS CHAMPAGNE
AMERICANS HAVE QUITE a thirst for those delicious bubbles from Champagne. Shipments to the US rose by 7.O9% last year to 2O.51 million bottles, but this was worth $574 million, up 28.18% from 2O14. This puts the US ahead of the UK as the most valuable export market for the... Read More
CANNED WINE IS COOL
YES, IT’S TRUE. It’s the year of wine in a can. According to data from Nielson, canned wine sales are up 125% over the past year, reaching $16.4 million annually. Although they still account for just 1% of the overall wine market in the US. Despite the novelty, there’s are... Read More
WINE FOR CATS . . . IT’S A THING
THIS TAKES spending time with your cat to a whole new level. To be clear, it’s non-alcoholic wine but your feline friends can now sip on a little Pinot Meow or MosCATo while you enjoy your glass of Chardonnay. Produced by Denver-based Apollo Peak, the drinks are actually made with... Read More
Beaujolais Crus ravaged
THEY ARE NOT celebrating in Beaujolais these days. Parts of the wine region have been damaged by bad weather. One month after a first episode of hail, northern Beaujolais was hit by another hail storm and rain in late June. Mélina Condy, from wine body Inter-Beaujolais, said “3OOO hectares or... Read More