The Wine News in 5 from JancisRobinson.com

This week Sam discusses Trump tariffs, a new development with US alcohol guidelines, yield forecasts for harvest in France and Italy, findings on how yeast strains fare amid high temperatures in vineyards and how ketchup may be better business for grape growers than wine. You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/tariffs-head...

This week Sam discusses wildfires in Napa and Galicia, Trump tariffs, a new trade agreement between Mercosur and the EU, hail in Southwest France, Austria and DO Cava hitting organic milestones and the start of harvest in northern Italy, Beaujolais, New York and Valdeorras. You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/mercosur-e...

This week Sam discusses wildfires in Napa and Spain, Château Lafleur leaving the Pomerol and Bordeaux appellations, Canada lifting tariffs on US wine, Champagne no longer requiring foils on their bottles, sherry no longer being required to be fortified, and harvest beginning in Anjou-Saumur, Santa Lucia Highland, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Portugal and the Rhône. You can read the transcript of this newsc...

This week Sam discusses Trump tariffs, wildfires in Spain and in Napa Valley, the beginning of harvest in Baden, Columbia Valley, Alsace, Muscadet and Champagne, minuscule harvests for Santorini and Lanzarote and a federal verdict on whether To Kalon is a place or a trademark. You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/tariff-...

This week Sam discusses emergency funding for Corbières, phylloxera in the Canary Islands, projections for 2025 wine production for France, plummeting US exports to Canada, US alcohol consumption hitting an all-time low, three new grape varieties approved in the EU, and the start of harvest in Franciacorta and Napa Valley. You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at...

This week Sam discusses recent fires in the Aude, Corsica and California, a Chinese alcohol retailer closing 1,500 stores, a new geographical indication for Argentina, two potential mining projects that would affect the wine industry – one in New Zealand and another in Australia – and the unveiling of the lightest wine bottle in the world. You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked...

This week Sam discusses the start of harvest in France, new developments in Trump tariffs, the closing of another E & J Gallo winery, Wine Australia’s latest export report and the latest industry report from Wines of Great Britain. You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/harvest-starts-france-new-us-tariff-concerns-gallo-wi...

This week Sam discusses a human-trafficking case in Champagne, a reduction in the allowable harvest yield in Champagne, hail in Sancerre and the Gard, fire in Columbia Gorge AVA in Oregon, developers trying to push through a resort on protected land in Barossa, and the passing of Angela Muir MW. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/champagne-news-...

This week Sam discusses the World Health Organization’s push to raise prices on alcohol, the lifting of inter-provincial alcohol trade barriers in Canada, Ireland delaying requirements for cancer warnings on alcohol, increased government aid for wine in Australia, regulatory changes approved by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), nine new Master Sommeliers, and finally, an Austr...

This week Sam discusses Vietnam’s tax hike, hail and fires in France, the shuttering of an organic certification body in Australia, Burgundian investment in the UK and Dr Richard Smart’s passing. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hail-and-fires-france-australian-organics-upset-burgundy-uk-venture.

This week Sam discusses huge storms in France, a French study on the level of microplastics in various packaged beverages, protests in France over rock-bottom supermarket pricing, human trafficking in Champagne, Vietnam raising taxes on alcohol, and 67 Pall Mall’s latest location. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/french-protests-and-storms-mic...

This week Sam discusses Meininger’s International shutting down, Oregon vineyard-management companies merging, ICE raids, a potential win for US alcohol guidance, and the Barca-Velha Golden Vines Scholarships. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/meiningers-international-shuts-down-oregon-vineyard-management-juggernaut-ice-raids.

This week Sam discusses Trump’s tariff lawsuits, bans on US alcohol in Canada, the Old Vine Registry introducing maps, Tablas Creek bottling 14 Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties as single-varietal wines, Treasury Estates launching a NoLo facility, France’s deposit-based recycling scheme and, finally, recent ICE raids. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/artic...

This week Sam discusses Mt Etna’s recent eruption, the US’s second-largest wine-and-spirits distributor exiting California, a slight reform in Sweden’s alcohol monopoly, and Vinarchy – the company that married the wine assets of Accolade and Pernod Ricard – announcing closures and investments. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/mt-etna-eruption-...

This week Sam discusses lawsuits against the Trump administration’s tariffs, new maps for Marlborough, Chile’s 2025 harvest, the Albeisa Consorzio lightweighting wine bottles, and new research on the power of soil microorganisms to control downy mildew. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/tariff-lawsuits-chiles-2025-harvest-lightweighting-bottles...

This week Sam discusses severe storms in Madiran, Bordeaux, Languedoc, Irouléguy, Savoie and the Var, a surge in Australian wine exports, a hit to the fine-wine market, and a brief update on 2024 bordeaux en primeur. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/france-hit-severe-storms-australian-wine-exports-surge-fine-wine-sales-slump.

This week Sam discusses strikes at Pernod Ricard and LVMH, a new report on why Gen Z isn’t drinking, the lowering of tariffs between the US and China, Provence’s first cru, and Mouton-Rothschild’s price drop for 2024 Bordeaux en primeur. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/champagne-house-strikes-why-gen-z-isnt-drinking-china-tariffs-provences-fi...

This week Sam discusses hail in Champagne, The Duckhorn Portfolio closing multiple brands, mining in Mendoza, a French wine export scheme meant to lessen the impact of US tariffs, and 2024 bordeaux en primeur. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/hail-hits-champagne-mendoza-considers-mining-frances-new-export-scheme.

This week Sam discusses bordeaux 2024 en primeur, Argentina’s 2025 harvest, a new company combining Accolade and Pernod Ricard’s wine assets, wildfires in South Africa and the release of Bhutan’s first wine. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/bordeaux-2024-ep-bhutans-first-wine-south-african-wildfires-argentinas-2025-harvest.

This week Sam discusses our 2025 wine writing competition, 2023 vintage port declarations, the 2024 Bordeaux en primeur campaign and the Pesticide Action Network Europe's latest report on TFA in wine. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/2025-writing-competition-2024-bordeaux-2023-port-and-forever-chemicals.

This week Sam discusses South Africa’s 2025 harvest, a lawsuit against Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, and the OIV’s latest report. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/south-africas-2025-harvest-lawsuit-against-trumps-tariffs-and-oivs-latest-report.

This week Sam discusses The Wine Group’s acquisition of six of Constellation’s brands, Mexico’s first IGP, three new grape varieties approved to be planted in France and Trump’s postponement of tariffs. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/six-constellations-wine-brands-sold-mexicos-first-igp-and-three-new-french-grape-varieties.

This week Sam discusses Trump’s tariff war, cuts to the FDA, the winners of the Old Vine Hero Awards, and the Gérard Basset Foundation grantees. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/trumps-tariff-war-us-public-health-agencies-gutted-old-vine-heroes-announced.

This week Sam discusses the European Commission’s support for the EU wine industry, Thailand’s move to end restrictions on alcohol sales, Catena exiting the Irish market, a decline in Germany’s wine production and growth in their export volumes, and China’s white-wine boom. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/eu-wine-industry-aid-irelands-health-...

This week Sam discusses Trump’s tariff war, declining demand for New Zealand wine, Jumilla’s smallest and earliest harvest on record, the winner of the André Simon Drink Book Award, and a new education opportunity for UK-based women and non-binary people. You can read the transcript of this newscast at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/nervous-wine-export-markets-jumillas-smallest-ever-harve...