Harpers Wine & Spirit reports that WineGB has launched a campaign seeking excise-duty relief on up to 50,000 bottles sold directly by each English or Welsh producer at its cellar door. WineGB argues that the proposed relief, potentially worth as much as £150,000 per winery, would encourage investment in visitor facilities, rural employment, tourism and exports, while strengthening producers against difficult trading conditions. Collective cellar-door sales currently total about £1.4 million, but the organisation believes the market could expand significantly with government support.
Simon Judge
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Napa Needs to Bulldoze Vineyards
Wine-Searcher examines an argument by Long Meadow Ranch owner and former McKinsey partner Ted Hall that more than 1,000 small Napa vineyard owners should consider removing their vines because farming costs now exceed the value of uncontracted grapes. Small hillside parcels can reportedly cost more than US$23,000 per acre to maintain, while falling bulk-wine and grape prices have left many sites economically unviable. Around 20% of Napa vineyard acreage went unharvested in 2025 and another 8% was removed, with small wineries and growers expected to face further pressure as the market contracts.
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Climate-Linked Alcohol and Acidity Shifts Alter Red Wine Aroma
LCGC International reports that researchers at the University of Naples have examined how rising alcohol levels and declining acidity can change the aroma and taste of red wine. Tests involving nine versions of a neutralised red wine found that higher alcohol and lower acidity increased the release and perception of two lactone compounds associated with sweet, perfumed, prune-like and prematurely aged aromas, while also reducing sourness and increasing bitterness. The findings suggest that acidification, commonly used to correct climate-related imbalances, must be carefully managed because it can also alter aroma perception and overall sensory quality.
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Burgundy Producer Rejects Michelin’s Inaugural Winery Rating
The Drinks Business reports that Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux has asked to be removed from Michelin’s inaugural Grape Selection after receiving a one-grape rating. The new Burgundy guide assesses 94 estates, awarding nine producers three grapes, but Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux said it had not submitted wines for reviews or ratings since 2020 and objected to being included without its participation, prompting wider debate about consent and methodology in wine criticism.
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EU Seeks US Tariff Exemptions for European Wine
La Tribune reports (in French) that the European Commission has asked Washington to exempt wine, spirits and selected agricultural products from the 15% US tariff applying to most EU goods. The proposed exemptions cover approximately €115 billion of exports, with wine particularly exposed because vine products account for 17% of EU agricultural and food exports to the United States by value, and the tariff is placing additional pressure on margins for premium European wines.
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Australia Records Its Smallest Winegrape Harvest Since 2000
ABC News reports that Australia’s 2026 winegrape crush fell to 1.27 million tonnes, the smallest harvest since 2000 and 25% below the ten-year average. The reduction represents approximately 33 million fewer nine-litre cases, with weaker international demand and excess red-wine stocks contributing to the contraction, while average grape prices also declined despite the smaller crop, indicating continued financial pressure on growers and wineries.
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Italian Wine Stocks Exceed 53 Million Hectolitres as Exports Slow
Wine Italy 24 reports that Italian cellars held more than 53 million hectolitres of wine and must in May 2026, an increase of 7.3% compared with the same month in 2025 and an amount roughly equivalent to an entire national harvest. Italian wine exports fell by 4% in volume and 8.3% in value during the first quarter of 2026, while prices during the first five months declined by 6% for PDO wines, 7% for PGI wines and 14.4% for common wines. The figures indicate mounting inventory pressure as producers contend with weakening consumption, slower exports and declining bulk-wine prices.
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Sam Neill, founder of Two Paddocks and Jurassic Park star, dies aged 78
The Drinks Business reports that actor and winemaker Sam Neill has died suddenly aged 78, leaving a significant legacy in New Zealand wine through Two Paddocks. Neill established the Central Otago estate in 1993 and developed it into a respected organic producer specialising in site-specific Pinot Noir, with vineyards across Gibbston, Alexandra and Bannockburn.
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Top Wineries of Great Britain 2026 revealed
The Drinks Business reports that Nyetimber has retained first place in The Real Review’s 2026 ranking of Great Britain’s leading wineries, becoming the first producer to win the title three times and in consecutive years. Langham Wine Estate placed second and Coates & Seely third, with the ranking generated from blind-tasting scores assessed by Anthony Rose, Young Shi and Rosemary George MW.
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EU27 Wine Exports Continue Downward Trend in First Four Months of 2026
Wine Industry Advisor reports that preliminary Eurostat figures show the value of EU wine exports fell by 13.2 per cent between January and April 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while export volumes declined by 16.4 per cent. Intra-EU trade suffered more than shipments to markets outside the bloc, although the rate of decline eased compared with the first two months of the year. Only Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Ireland and Poland achieved year-on-year growth in export value.
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Texas A&M Sending Grape Seeds to the International Space Station
Food & Wine reports that Texas A&M AgriLife researchers will send hundreds of seeds from three Texas-adapted wine-grape varieties to the International Space Station for six months, investigating whether cosmic radiation produces genetic changes that affect germination, vine development, resilience, grape yield or quality. After returning, the seeds will be planted alongside unexposed controls and assessed genetically and agronomically, with researchers ultimately hoping to make wine from any successful vines.
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Finalists for 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards Unveiled
Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News reports that 67 Pall Mall has announced the 2026 finalists for its Global Wine Communicator Awards. The competition received 677 entries from 26 countries, narrowing them down to 24 finalists across eight countries, with categories covering long-form writing, short-form writing, video, audio and all-round wine communication.
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Michelin Unveils First-Ever Burgundy Wine Rankings
The Drinks Business reports that the Michelin Guide has launched its first wine selection, beginning with Burgundy and using a three-grape rating system. The inaugural 2026 Michelin Grape Selection recognises 94 producers, with nine estates awarded the top Three Michelin Grapes, 20 receiving Two Grapes, 33 receiving One Grape and a further 32 listed as Selected producers. The move marks Michelin’s expansion from restaurants and hotels into formal wine estate rankings.
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We Are a Young Voice Eager to Drive Change and Innovate, While Respecting the Past
WineNews reports that Gabriella Favara of Donnafugata has become president of Assovini Sicilia, leading an entirely under-40 board for the association. The change puts younger producers at the centre of an organisation representing 100 Sicilian wine companies, with the new leadership signalling a focus on market responsiveness, collaboration and generational renewal in one of Italy’s most dynamic wine regions.
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Veneto Declares a Water Emergency as Drought Tightens Its Grip on Wine Country
Vinetur reports that Veneto has declared a regional water emergency after worsening drought conditions hit one of Italy’s most important wine-producing areas. The order cites a 2.4 billion cubic metre water shortfall compared with 2025, rainfall deficits since March, reduced river flows and rising concerns for viticulture, including Prosecco production around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.