The Guardian reports that thieves have stolen approximately 30,000 bottles of premium wine worth €5 million from Marchesi Antinori, one of Italy’s most prestigious family-owned wine producers. At least seven masked individuals reportedly disabled security systems at the company’s Cortona facility in Tuscany before using forklifts to load two lorries with wines including Solaia, Tignanello and Guado al Tasso. The theft, which occurred over the weekend and was discovered on Monday, is thought to be one of Italy’s largest wine robberies. Chief executive Renzo Cotarella suggested that the operation required detailed planning and specialist knowledge. The incident follows other significant winery thefts across Italy, raising concerns about organised crime targeting valuable wine inventories. The company has warned buyers to avoid suspicious offers through unofficial channels while police continue their investigation.
Simon Judge
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Margaret River Takes Home Most Trophies of Any Region Worldwide at 2026 IWSC
Winetitles reports that Australia’s Margaret River wine region has secured six trophies at the 2026 International Wine and Spirit Competition, more than any other individual wine-producing region worldwide. The competition assessed more than 6,000 international entries, with Australian wines receiving eight trophies overall, placing the country alongside France among the leading national performers. Margaret River’s awards included three Cabernet Sauvignon trophies, two Chardonnay trophies and one Semillon trophy. House of Cards Ace High Chardonnay 2025 achieved a perfect 100-point score, while other successful producers included Stella Bella, Xanadu, Lenton Brae, Nocturne and Willespie Estate. Industry representatives highlighted the achievement as evidence of Margaret River’s consistent quality and growing international reputation, particularly in Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
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Tesco Predicts a Low-Alcohol ‘Healthier’ Christmas
The Guardian reports that Tesco anticipates a growing consumer preference for lower-alcohol drinks during the forthcoming Christmas trading period, reflecting broader changes in British drinking habits and increasing interest in health-conscious consumption. The prediction accompanies Tesco’s latest financial results, which show first-half sales increasing by 2% to £33.8 billion and an improved profit outlook. Although the report covers the supermarket’s wider retail performance, its expectations for lower-alcohol consumption are particularly relevant to the wine industry, where producers and retailers are reassessing traditional drinking occasions and developing strategies for consumers seeking moderation. The outlook provides another indication that changing attitudes towards alcohol are influencing the British drinks market.
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Thieves Pinch 500kg of Grapes From Norfolk Vineyard
AOL reports that around 500kg of grapes were stolen from Winbirri Vineyard in Surlingham, Norfolk, enough fruit to produce roughly 400 bottles of wine. Owner Lee Dyer believes the thieves may have intended to make wine themselves, after harvesting workers discovered that two 120-metre rows had been stripped. The grapes were Bacchus, an increasingly important variety for English still wine, and Dyer described the loss as disheartening after the work invested throughout the growing season. The article was published at 20:44 UTC on 6 October, putting it comfortably inside the 24-hour window.
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Oregon State University to Launch First-of-Its-Kind Wine Grape Cultivar Trials
American Vineyard Magazine reports that Oregon State University will begin major trials of disease-resistant wine grape varieties in 2027, believed to be the first research programme of its type on the US West Coast. Trials at vineyards in the Willamette and Rogue valleys will examine about ten cultivars at each location, assessing vine growth, yield, fruit composition and eventual wine quality. The research is partly driven by the heavy fungicide requirements of traditional Vitis vinifera varieties, particularly against powdery mildew, with Oregon growers sometimes making between five and 15 applications per season. Researchers hope resistant varieties could ultimately reduce costs, chemical inputs and environmental impact while still producing commercially acceptable wines.
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Bullish Industry Pros Are Turning Wine’s Slump Into a Shopping Spree
Wine Enthusiast reports that the downturn in the US wine industry is creating acquisition opportunities for well-capitalised producers and investors, as an unusually large number of vineyards, wineries and estates come onto the market. While many businesses are cutting costs in response to weaker consumption and excess supply, others are using lower valuations to acquire desirable vineyard land that would have been difficult to buy during stronger market conditions. The article points to recent purchases in California wine country and argues that experienced operators increasingly see the present downturn as a chance to secure scarce agricultural assets for the longer term, even though there is still considerable uncertainty about when wine demand will recover.
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California Growers Removed 38,000 Vineyard Acres, Prompting Fears of a Future Shortage
Vinetur reports that California’s wine industry may be moving closer to the opposite problem from the oversupply that has dominated recent years, after growers removed more than 38,000 acres of vines between October 2024 and August 2025. A further 40,000 acres could disappear by the end of 2026, potentially bringing productive vineyard acreage close to levels some industry figures believe could create shortages if wine demand stabilises or recovers. Spring Mountain Vineyard chief executive Peter Ekman argues that California could fall below the acreage needed to satisfy demand, although Allied Grape Growers president Jeff Bitter believes equilibrium may require fewer than 400,000 acres. Large stocks of unsold bulk wine continue to cushion the market, making the timing of any shortage uncertain, but industry participants warn that vineyards cannot be replanted and returned to full production quickly if supply eventually becomes tight.
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Tesco Might Buy Majestic
London South East reports that that Tesco is among the bidders considering the acquisition of Majestic Wine Group after owner Fortress Investment Group began a formal sale process, with analysts suggesting the business could fetch hundreds of millions of pounds. Majestic has more than 200 stores across the UK and Jersey and also supplies the hospitality sector through its commercial operations and Enotria brand, while one analyst suggested Tesco could pursue a deal through its Booker wholesale arm
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France’s Wine Production Nears a 70-Year Low
CNBS reports that France’s wine production is expected to fall to around 33.9 million hectolitres in 2026, roughly 6% below 2025 and 17% below the 2021–2025 average, potentially making it the country’s smallest harvest since 1957. The decline has been driven by severe summer heatwaves and drought, which reduced grape yields, alongside a shrinking area of vineyards as some vines have been removed. The impact varies considerably by region: Champagne is forecast to produce around half as much wine as last year, while Languedoc-Roussillon could see a modest recovery from its weak 2025 harvest. The figures highlight the growing pressure extreme weather is placing on France’s wine industry, which is also dealing with falling consumption and broader economic challenges.
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Global Wine Trade Fell 8.3% by Volume in the First Half of 2026
Vinetur reports that worldwide wine and grape-must shipments fell 8.3% by volume and 5.2% by value year on year during the first half of 2026, according to Del Rey Analysts of Wine Markets. Higher average prices softened the decline in export revenues, but underlying demand remained weak, with bulk wine experiencing particularly heavy pressure and still bottled wine also losing ground. Sparkling wine proved comparatively resilient, while South Africa was the only one of six major New World producers examined to increase both export value and volume. The figures suggest the international market is stabilising on price, but consumers and importers are still buying less wine overall.
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The Wine Industry Hits Back
Meininger’s International reports on an escalating dispute in Brussels over alcohol, health policy and the wine sector’s role in shaping regulation. European wine trade body CEEV held an event in the European Parliament examining whether wine can form part of a healthy lifestyle, prompting objections from five public-health organisations that argued alcohol producers should not influence health policymaking. The dispute comes as Parliament reviews the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan, including alcohol labelling, consumer information and marketing restrictions. A parliamentary committee has retained language distinguishing “harmful use” of alcohol rather than treating all consumption identically, while stopping short of recommending restrictions on alcohol promotion at sporting events, although another vote is due on 11 November.
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Why Winemakers Value Old Vines, and How a New Seal Can Help You Find Them
Food & Wine reports that the Old Vine Registry has launched a new OVR Seal designed to give consumers a clearer definition of “old vine” wines. The scheme starts at vineyards aged 35 years or more, with additional 50+, 75+, 100+ and 150+ year classifications, and requires at least 85% of a wine’s grapes to come from qualifying registered vineyards. The registry now covers more than 12,500 vineyards in 43 countries, while the seal launches with 10 producers across seven countries. Supporters argue that the system could improve transparency around a loosely regulated term and potentially encourage preservation of mature vineyards, which may offer lower yields, distinctive fruit and greater resilience to environmental stress.
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California Farmers Are Struggling to Sell Grapes as Demand for Wine Drops
KQED reports that California wine-grape growers are struggling to find buyers during the 2026 harvest as declining wine consumption leaves the state producing more grapes than the market requires. Some growers face the choice of harvesting fruit at a loss, leaving grapes unpicked or removing vineyards altogether, including vineyards that have been farmed by the same families for generations. The imbalance is also pushing grape prices lower and encouraging consideration of alternative crops such as nuts and olives, making the downturn in wine consumption an increasingly significant agricultural as well as wine-industry problem.
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Bordeaux’s 2026 Vintage Appears Largely Spared From Wildfire Smoke
Food & Wine reports that experts interviewed for its 28 September article have found no evidence of smoke taint affecting Bordeaux’s 2026 vintage, despite extensive summer wildfires. Most vineyards were sufficiently distant from the fires, according to those interviewed. The article explains that smoke compounds can become apparent during fermentation, with reds particularly vulnerable because of prolonged skin contact. Heat appears to have been the greater influence this year, with richer wines expected alongside better-preserved acidity than some producers anticipated.
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Portuguese Estate Moves Grape Harvesting into the Night
Euronews reports that Herdade das Servas in Portugal’s Alentejo region has adopted night harvesting to protect workers from extreme daytime heat. Initially tested in 2024, the practice became standard last year, with pickers using lights mounted on their heads and tractors. Winemaker Renato Neves expects more producers to follow as daytime temperatures reach 40–42°C, making conventional harvesting increasingly difficult. The report illustrates how hotter summers are changing vineyard working practices.