Wine News

Wine News features articles and press releases that feature new ideas/trends in wine and interesting concepts.

Aged 50 Months: Ventiventi Winery Transforms Sparkling Lambrusco Wine

Enjoying Sparkling Lambrusco Wine in Italy. VENTIVENTI If you have ever enjoyed a sparkling red wine from the Italian wine region of Lambrusco, then you are familiar with the welcoming ripe strawberry flavors and celebratory bubbles that caress your palate. If you’ve never tried sparkling Lambrusco wine, then now is the time. With the surge in popularity of sparkling wines from around the world, Lambrusco definitely needs to be part of the lineup. Now there is an even more important reason to pay attention: some Lambrusco wineries are starting to take the sparkling wine to new heights [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-10T12:33:09-07:00September 10, 2026|

Franciacorta Targets U.S. Growth via Michelin Guide Partnership and L.A. Tastings

Enjoying Franciacorta Sparkling Wine from Italy. THE FRANCIACORTA CONSORTIUM Have you ever enjoyed a bottle of Franciacorta sparkling wine from Italy? Though Italy is known for producing many delicious styles of sparkling wine, such as Prosecco, Lambrusco, Asti Spumante and the fresh clean sparklers from the Trentodoc region, in Italy, Franciacorta is considered to the the ultimate luxury choice for sparkling wine. Franciacorta sparkling wines are crafted in the same way as Champagne - with second fermentation in the bottle. They also use two of the Champagne grapes - Chardonnay and Pinot - but are allowed to add small amounts [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-04T09:49:20-07:00August 31, 2026|

Inside LVMH’s Ultra-Exclusive ‘Vins d’Exception’ Dinner at The French Laundry

Four Founders of Vins D'Exception, Thomas Keller and Guests at the French Laundry. LARISSA CLEVELAND Deep within the multi-faceted empire of LVMH lies an elite inner sanctum of viticulture: a collection of four legendary wine estates operating under the banner of Vins d’Exception. Distinct from the luxury conglomerate’s broader commercial labels, these rare properties are managed with a singular devotion to heritage and unparalleled terroir. To celebrate this elite portfolio, Vins d'Exception recently orchestrated a historic, ultra-exclusive gastronomic experience in partnership with Thomas Keller’s three-star Michelin icon, The French Laundry, to which I received an invitation. Proving the insatiable global [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-07-19T11:18:17-07:00July 21, 2026|

Finding the Floor: Liv-ex Report Highlights Fine Wines with Rising Trade Prices

Finding the Floor: Liv-ex Report Highlights Fine Wines with Rising Trade Prices While the fine wine market has faced a challenging correction—currently sitting roughly 25% down from its historic peak in October 2022—the latest data suggests the tide may finally be turning. According to a recent report from Liv-ex, the London-based global marketplace and benchmark authority for the fine wine trade, select corners of the market are showing encouraging signs of stabilization. "Some [wine brands] likely have further yet to fall; others appear to have found their floors and are now tracking gently upwards." — Sophia Gilmour, Liv-ex Market Analyst [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-07-14T12:12:49-07:00July 14, 2026|

U.S. Wine Market Tops $115 Billion

U.S. Wine Market Sales Hits $115 Billion A new report released in Spring of 2026 from market research firm BW166 shows that U.S. wine sales achieved over $115 billion in 2025. This figure includes all domestic and imported wine. “The latest data, which came out last week, shows total calculated consumer spending on wine to be $115.33 billion USD versus $112.477 billion USD last year,” stated Jon Moramarco in an online interview. Moramarco is Managing Partner of BW166 LLC, a firm that uses government and tax data to prepare this annual report. With more than 40 years experience in the wine industry, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-07-09T15:48:02-07:00July 9, 2026|

5 Ways to Celebrate the Judgment Of Paris Wine Tasting in 2026

5 Ways to Celebrate the Judgement of Paris Celebration All Year in 2026. Getty This year marks an important anniversary for all American wine lovers because it is the 50th anniversary of the famous Judgment of Paris Wine Tasting. Held in Paris, France, in 1976, this blind tasting featured some of the top wines from California and France. The competition focused on the best Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, and all of the judges were French wine professionals. The surprising result was that two California wines placed first in both categories, shocking the wine world and setting the stage for [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-06-10T11:26:38-07:00June 10, 2026|

Wine Trends in British Columbia

A retro pour of predictions — with a BC twist. Contributed by author, Julian Park, and republished here with permission. For more information, please contact Julien at julian@bcwinetrends.com In 2016, Dr. Liz Thach MW published a list of “Hot Wine Trends” that aimed to capture the future of wine consumer behaviour. The industry was bracing for a sparkling boom, boxed wine battles, and a love affair with Sauvignon Blanc. Almost a decade later, we’ve pulled the BC data, opened a few bottles, and checked which of those prophecies aged well — and which were more fizzle than sizzle. Spoiler alert: some [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-08-08T12:52:16-07:00August 6, 2025|

Margo Van Staaveren as New Director of Winemaking at Beringer Winery

Margo Van Staaveren, Director of Winemaking at Beringer Winery in Napa Valley Beringer Winery holds an important place in my wine journey, because it was the place that I fell in love with wine. A friend had brought me to Napa Valley for my birthday and we did a tour and tasting at Beringer. I will never forget standing on the porch of the old historic Beringer house, looking out at the vineyards, and having one of those "ah ha" moments. Surrounded by friends, laughter, and a delicious taste of chenin blanc in my glass, I knew that wine would [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-07-10T10:33:18-07:00July 10, 2025|

$109 Billion U.S. Wine Market Shows Uptick In Q1 2025 Shipments

Consumers Continue to Shop for Wine in $109 Billion U.S. Wine MarketGETTY (This article was originally published in Forbes.com. Republished here with permission) After two years of declining wine sales volume in the U.S. market, a new report suggests that the situation may be improving. Developed by Gomberg-Fredrikson & Associates, a wine market intelligence company established in 1948 that uses U.S. government data to analyze wine shipments and revenues, the report shows a positive uptick in wine shipments for the first quarter of 2025. “We are seeing an uptick in both California wine shipments and imported wine in the first [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-06-15T03:01:36-07:00June 15, 2025|

What Is The Future Of AF Wines?

The Future of AF Wines and Vineyards. Getty Many people want to know if the current strong growth in Alcohol Free (AF) wines is just a trend, or if it is here to stay. Given that alcohol-free wines have been available commercially in the U.S. market for 40 years (Arial was introduced by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines in 1985 and Fre was released in 1992 by Trinchero Family Estates), there will always be a place in the market for these types of wines. However, with the current consumer focus on health and wellness, it is expected that many more AF [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-04-13T16:56:35-07:00April 17, 2025|

The Challenges And Cost Of Producing Alcohol Free Wines

High-quality Wine Grapes Are Needed to Produce High-quality Alcohol-Free Wines. getty While most consumers assume that wine without alcohol should be easier to produce and therefore less expensive to purchase, the reverse is actually the case. Creating a high-quality alcohol-free wine requires at least two extra production steps, beyond regular winemaking: 1. Grow and harvest high-quality grapes (using low-quality grapes results in a low-quality wine) 2. Ferment the wine (using traditional methods, with yeast—usually in a stainless steel tank) 3. EXTRA STEP: Remove the alcohol from the wine (which usually strips the wine of many flavors and aromas—different technologies include vacuum distillation and reverse [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2025-04-13T16:50:13-07:00April 15, 2025|

Wine Tasting with a Robot Named Scorpion: A Robotic Revolution in Sipping!

Scorpion, the Wine Serving AI Robot Contributed by guest author, Hermon Dubale: Imagine this: a robotic arm that resembles a scorpion, elegantly reaching for a bottle of aged Chardonnay and pouring it with finesse while interacting with you. Scorpion’s AI functionality detects people and can even engage in light, charming conversation, creating a fun and interactive atmosphere. Recently, Scorpion was installed in 1936 Wine and Spirits NYC and has received many reviews. Watch the YOUTUBE VIDEO to see a customer experience Scorpion for the first time and call it “a real sommelier.” This is because Scorpion not only pours wine [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-12-23T14:05:33-08:00December 23, 2024|

Celebrate Wine With New ‘Come Together Community’ of Wine Events

Friends Enjoying Wine and Socializing. Photo Credit: 123RF.com Good news, a new wine company called, ‘COME TOGETHER—A Community for Wine Inc,’ has just been launched this May 2024. It is a mission-driven company committed to creating and sharing positive, inclusive consumer information about moderate wine consumption and wine’s historic role as a communal beverage. The company was formed in May 2024 by three wine industry professionals who are donating their time and efforts to the company and its projects and events. They are: 1) wine journalist Karen MacNeil, author of the Wine Bible; 2) Gino Colangelo, CEO of public relations [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-06-26T18:09:28-07:00June 26, 2024|

U.S. Wine Sales Increase 46% Between 2018 and 2023

Title Page of 2024 BMO Wine Market Report BMO A new report by Bank of Montreal (BMO) shows that, though wine volume sales are down, actual dollar sales from consumer expenditures on wine have increased in 2023. In fact, if analyzing the BMO report data from 2018 through 2023, wine sales in the U.S. (both domestic and imported wines) increased by 46%. Though part of this is due to inflation and necessary price increases that wineries had to take to keep up with rising supply and labor costs, a good portion is also due to consumers spending more on wine. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-05-25T11:39:08-07:00May 25, 2024|

California Poppies Adorn The New Korbel California Champagne Limited Edition Bottle

New Limited Edition Bottle of Korbel California Champagne with Orange California Poppies. Photo Credit: Korbel I love the vibrant orange color of California poppies. In fact, in the Spring time, they cover the slopes of the hills around my house in Sonoma County. You know Spring is here when the poppies bloom, and they are perennial, so they return each year. Now Korbel California Champagne is releasing a new, limited-edition bottle wrap inspired by the season. It features a vibrant, beautiful orange petal design with the “Poppy” bottle heralding the return of warm weather in style with a nod to [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2024-04-12T16:23:57-07:00April 12, 2024|