2 billion euros in export value alone illustrate the spumante boom. Markets like Eastern Europe and France are also growing strongly.

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The winegrowers' association of Champagne, Association Viticole Champenoise (AVC), have pledged to become CO2-neutral by 2050 and be free of herbicides by 2025 as much as possible. This was announced by the two co-chairs of the Comité Champagne, Maxime Toubart and David Chatillon, at the general assembly on 8 December 2022. 

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High inflation levels and rising interest rates in many markets around the world have engendered pessimism as to the retail sales outlook. Food inflation has generally been lagging overall inflation’s levelling-off trajectory, encouraging consumers to cut back on supermarket spending. In this context, global bulk wine activity has proceeded cautiously through the final quarter of 2022 while sales are carefully analysed; no one wants to find themselves overstocked, or having paid too high a price. Report by wine broker Christian Jungbluth from Ciatti.

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Following our coverage of the plight of Bordeaux producers looking to uproot vines, we have news of a Médoc chateau owner using recent and untried French legislation to sue two negociants for over €1m in what he claims are excessive profits on the wine he sold them. If he wins, what might this mean for others in the sector?

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Bordeaux’s vignerons took to the streets in protest on Tuesday, drawing attention to the alarming situation facing the region’s winegrowers. Their demands include the grubbing up of vineyards, along with emergency government aid.

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Observers of the heady growth in Australian exports to China from 2016 to the end of the decade ignored a downward trend in Chinese wine consumption that began in 2018. OIV statistics reveal that this trend has continued during the Covid pandemic.

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Alcohol is the most widely consumed and, in many places, the most accepted drug worldwide. But the results of the Global Drug Survey show that regular everyday consumption and alcohol abuse are not always synonymous. Below are some observations from the survey.

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Declining sales and low profitability loom on the horizon. The wine industry must prepare for a difficult year.

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The 162nd Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction in Burgundy enjoyed a record-breaking sale.

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As European legislators have moved to require ingredient and nutritional information on wine labels (or via a QR code), US consumer groups have fought to achieve the same objective. After nearly 20 years, it looks as though they have one their fight.

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London-based wine exchange Liv-ex has released its latest Power 100 list of the strongest fine wine brands or producers. The list is based on the period from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022. Bordeaux is ousted from the top 10, the list is now dominated by Burgundy. 

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World wine production in 2022 is again expected to be slightly below average, with differences between the individual winegrowing zones and countries. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) forecasts global production of between 257.5 and 262.3m. hl of wine and must in 2022. There will be regional differences in harvest volumes, but the market surplus will remain (see HERE). Vincent Messmer reports.

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As 2022 draws to a close, most grapes have been harvested, except for a few late-maturing exceptions. Despite below-average quantities overall, the surplus remains a problem.

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Hungary drops slightly, Romania and Bulgaria gain. Greek volumes remain to be confirmed.

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 USA expects slight losses. 

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