The Tuscan regional government has approved the creation of Chianti DOP Rosé, marking a fresh chapter for one of Italy’s most famous wine regions. The move aims to counter years of falling prices and sluggish demand for traditional Chianti reds.

The new rosé style will be formally included in the production rules, requiring at least 50% Sangiovese, with the remainder made up of approved Tuscan grape varieties. Alcohol must reach a minimum of 9% and yield limits have been set.

While final approval from Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture is pending, it is widely expected, but not everyone is convinced. Critics fear that rosé risks diluting Chianti’s identity, but supporters see it as essential for rejuvenating the region.

Show less »

California’s 2025 wine harvest has revealed a deepening crisis, with vast tracts of vineyards abandoned as growers struggle to cover rising costs. Industry leaders warn of the state’s smallest crop in decades as producers cut back on grape purchases.

According to Allied Grape Growers President Jeff Bitter, around 20,000 hectares were left unharvested this year, on top of 40,000 hectares cleared since 2024.

The Sonoma County Winegrowers estimate that 30% of grapes grown this season went unsold as major buyers like Constellation Brands and Jackson Family Wines reduced their intake.

The total harvest may drop another 400,000 tons from last year’s already low 2.9 million. Across regions such as Lodi, ghost plots now litter the landscape. A new Californian law allows fines of up to US $1,000 per acre for neglected vineyards, aimed at curbing pest and disease risks from abandoned vines.

Show less »

Ridgeview Wine Estate, one of England’s most acclaimed sparkling wine producers, has entered administration but will continue to operate while talks with a potential buyer take place, according to administrators FRP Advisory.

The Sussex-based winery, founded in 1995 by Mike and Chris Roberts, is regarded as a pioneer of English sparkling wine. FRP confirmed that Ridgeview will “continue trading under administration” after securing funding to maintain operations while a sale is completed. Joint administrators Phil Harris and Neville Side said their priority is to ensure “business as usual for customers, suppliers and the wider trade”.

Ridgeview’s management team remains in place to oversee day-to-day operations at its Ditchling Common site, with production and customer service continuing uninterrupted. Despite the challenges, FRP expressed optimism that a successful sale will safeguard the future of this highly respected English wine producer.

Show less »

Archaeologists in southeastern Turkey have uncovered a remarkably preserved 1,600-year-old winery near Kahta Castle, revealing the scale of Roman-era winemaking in the ancient kingdom of Commagene. The sprawling 37-acre site, near the village of Oymaklı in Adıyaman Province, dates to the 4th century A.D.

Excavations have revealed grape-pressing basins, stone cisterns, and milling stones, suggesting large-scale industrial wine production rather than domestic use. The well-preserved foundations and infrastructure provide a rare glimpse into late-Roman rural industry and trade networks. Researchers believe the complex may have supplied both local markets and elite residents of the nearby fortress.

Officials plan to designate the area as a protected archaeological site. The discovery underscores Turkey’s rich winemaking heritage and offers new insight into how Roman viticulture thrived far beyond the empire’s traditional heartlands.

Show less »

Wine imports into the UK dropped by 5.4% in value to €1.98bn in the first half of 2025, while volumes fell 6.4% to 551.7 million litres.

Despite the dip, the average price per litre edged up slightly to €3.69, according to the Spanish Wine Market Observatory.

The decline was led by still bottled and sparkling wines, with the latter falling 7.2% in value and 5.3% in volume compared to 2024. Bulk wine fared slightly better, dropping just 3% in value but gaining 6.2% in price per litre.

France remains the UK’s top country for imports by value, followed by Italy and Spain, though all three saw notable decreases.

Interestingly, Ireland’s wine imports told a different story, rising 8.9% in value and 13.5% in volume, particularly in the sparkling category, suggesting that UK consumers may be tightening their belts while their Irish neighbours raise a glass.

Show less »

Hungary’s vineyards are facing a major crisis as Flavescence Dorée (FD), a phytoplasma disease spread by the leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus, sweeps across almost all of the country’s 22 wine regions, including the UNESCO-listed Tokaj. First detected in 2013, FD has exploded in 2025, fuelled by a perfect storm of environmental and structural factors.

Hungary’s warm continental climate allows the leafhopper to reproduce rapidly, while fragmented vineyards bordered by forest and abandoned plots provide ideal refuges for both insects and wild vines. Limited early enforcement, uneven regional coordination, and the movement of infected planting material have also accelerated spread far faster than in western Europe, where decades of strict control have kept FD in check.

More than 200 inspection teams are now surveying 3,385 hectares nationwide. Infected vines are being uprooted and insecticide spraying extended into November, backed by 3.8 billion forints (£8 million) in state funding. Despite hopes that swift action can save key regions, experts warn the disease is 'spreading extremely rapidly', threatening not only Hungary’s vineyards but potentially neighbouring countries too.

Show less »