Insights

Climate Change, Chinese Embargo and Covid: Hard Times for the Australian Wine Industry

The last two years have been a great challenge for the Australian wine industry. Jeni Port gives an overview of recent developments and possible solutions.

Reading time: 5m 20s

Sauvignon Blanc – the Dark Horse of the Wine World

Even as recently as 25 years ago, the suggestion that Sauvignon Blanc would become the most popular grape variety – of either colour – in Britain, the most competitive wine market in the world, would have been dismissed as fanciful. Robert Joseph looks back at this unlikely success story.

Reading time: 5m 40s

Wine Service in a Time of Pandemic

In the United States restaurant patrons and staff say goodbye to ‘before Covid,’ adapt to ‘during Covid,’ and wonder if there will ever be an ‘after Covid.’ Roger Morris reports. 

Reading time: 4m 25s

The Evolution of the Charity Wine Auction

Wine charity auctions on both sides of the Atlantic are changing, as  L.M. Archer and Edward Lewis discover.

Reading time: 12 minutes

Podcasts – The New Way to Communicate with Wine Drinkers?

In an age where everything is on-demand and off-menu, the post-pandemic world seemingly remains addicted to the digital offerings to which it was restricted to during lockdowns. Among these, some of the most popular have been podcasts. They are  fast-growing businesses. Big and small players in wine are able to inform about regions or simply to promote products. Robert Mason reports.

Reading time: 4m 40s

The Domino Effect: Will the Russian Wine Market Collapse?

The war with Ukraine unleashed by Vladimir Putin has already caused huge numbers of casualties and led to the displacement of millions of refugees. Sergey Panov reports about the difficult situation in Russia and its effects for the Russian wine market.

Reading time: 4m 40s

US Wine Market 2022 – Observations and Predictions

In an exclusive broad-ranging interview for Meininger’s, Rob McMillan of the Silicon Valley Bank offered a view of the current and future of the US wine industry from the perspective of an informed financial analyst. Find the full interview HERE.

Reading time: 2m 40s

NFTs and Wine - The Long Read

Almost overnight, NFTs - Non-Fungible Tokens have come from nowhere in the art world to become a market worth more than a quarter of the value of the US wine trade. Now they are moving into wine. In this extensive article, Robert Joseph attempts to throw some light on a very complex picture.

Reading time: 16 m

For a shorter version (reading time 8m 20s), click here.

NFTs and Wine: the Pros and Cons

The new technology platform which has already taken the art world by storm, is changing the way wine is traded. Will it open a path to new consumers? Robert Joseph reports.

Reading time: 8m 20s

Are you looking for more background information? For a Long Read that offers a deeper dive, click here (reading time 16m).

Barolo now being sold through Bordeaux

The news that Michele Chiarlo’s Cerequio super-premium Barolo is to be sold through la Place de Bordeaux broadens the range of Italian wines distributed through this virtual marketplace whose Italian focus was previously on Tuscany. 

Reading time 1m 35s
 

Russia and Ukraine – the Wider Implications

Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine raises unhappy memories in Georgia which suffered a similar fate in 2008 -  as well as current fears there and in Moldova which will also have to provide sanctuary to Ukrainians who flee across its border

Reading time: 1m 40s

All Change in Bordeaux

A new wave of Bordeaux, made from single varietals like Malbec, Petit Verdot and Muscadelle and packaged in Burgundy bottles with decidedly non-Bordeaux labels. Robert Joseph reports

Reading time: 4m

US Wine Market - Time for a Rethink

Rob McMillan of the Silicon Valley Bank has just published his latest annual report in which he describes the challenges facing the US wine market - and a possible solution.

Reading time 4m 42s

Strong Pre-Harvest Interest in 2022 Southern Hemisphere Whites

As the wine world begins to come to terms with a Post-Covid-19, 'new normal', buyers of bulk wine consider the opportunities and challenges that face them. An analysis by winebroker Angelo Cotrone from Ciatti.

Reading time: 3m

Half full or Half Empty? Selling New World Wines in Germany

New World brands have been important to the German wine market. They anticipated trends and helped to set new stylistic benchmarks. Today, this is only partly true, but the strongest brands are still doing well, as Clemens Gerke discovers.

Reading time: 3m 20s