French researchers are urging vineyard growers to rethink row orientation and ground cover as climate change extends France’s wildfire season. Rows aligned with prevailing winds could help flames spread, while dry grass may provide additional fuel.

Anne Ganteaume of France’s INRAE research institute says vineyard design and maintenance must become part of wildfire prevention, rather than relying solely on emergency services. Planting rows perpendicular to prevailing winds could help slow fires, while burying dry grass between rows would reduce combustible material.

The advice presents challenges for growers using cover crops to manage soils and encourage beneficial insects, particularly in organic vineyards. Irrigation to maintain green vegetation may offer a compromise.

Researchers warn that under a worst-case warming scenario of 4°C by 2100, the Mediterranean’s critical fire season could lengthen by more than six weeks, potentially running from late May to late October.
For wine producers, adapting vineyard layouts and ground management could become increasingly important to protecting vines, harvests and future production.

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Champagne’s long-running plan to expand its appellation has been halted, with growers voting overwhelmingly against revising the boundaries. Changing market conditions and a warmer climate have made the original proposals outdated.

The Syndicat général des vignerons de la Champagne (SGV) voted against the revision at a meeting in Épernay on 21 October. The project began in 2003 and could have increased the appellation’s vineyard area from 34,300 to around 43,000 hectares, potentially adding 40 villages.

SGV president Maxime Toubart said the technical criteria were no longer relevant, given how dramatically circumstances had changed. Exports now account for 58% of Champagne shipments, up from 41% in 2003, while rising temperatures have altered the region’s climatic classification.

However, the process is not permanently abandoned. A legal challenge means the boundaries must still be reviewed. With Champagne vineyard land worth up to €1 million per hectare, the stakes are considerable. Officials must now reconsider which terroirs belong in Champagne’s future.

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Small drinks businesses will benefit from higher business rates thresholds, but wine consumers face another alcohol duty increase. Chancellor John Healey's Budget also extends energy support for glass manufacturers.

The threshold for business rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses rises from £12,000 to £18,000 in rateable value, taking 70,000 businesses out of business rates altogether. Other business rates in the sector will be frozen in real terms for two years.

Small brewers and cider makers will receive an additional £10m in alcohol duty relief, although conventional wine producers are unlikely to benefit directly. Meanwhile, alcohol duty will rise by 4.55% from February 2027, in line with inflation.

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, criticised the increase, warning that higher alcohol taxes would put further pressure on businesses and consumers during the cost-of-living crisis.

Energy-intensive industries, including glass manufacturers, will also benefit from an extension of the 25% electricity bill reduction until July 2027.

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New research from cork producer Amorim suggests that tirage corks can improve sparkling wine during ageing, delivering greater aromatic complexity, finer bubbles and a creamier mouthfeel compared with crown caps.

Tirage closures are typically used during secondary fermentation, and are usually crown caps similar to beer caps.

Closures play an important role in sparkling wine production, influencing oxygen exposure and how wines develop during secondary fermentation and lees ageing. Although crown caps were traditionally favoured for their reliable seal and ease of removal at disgorgement, winemakers are increasingly exploring the benefits of using cork instead.

Amorim’s trials found differences in the wines’ polyphenol and aromatic compounds, with cork-closed bottles showing greater fruitiness, less bitterness and longer-lasting flavours. Controlled oxygen ingress may help develop complexity without compromising freshness.

The late Ruinart chef de cave Frédéric Panaïotis championed the approach, following trials that began in 1998 and culminated in Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2010 winning a major sparkling wine championship.

Amorim research director Dr Miguel Cabral describes tirage cork as an oenological tool, offering winemakers another way to shape sparkling wine style and quality.

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New Zealand Chardonnay has impressed some of the world's leading wine critics in a series of blind tastings, challenging Burgundy's reputation as the benchmark for the grape and raising fresh questions about value and climate change.

Organised by Master of Wine Steve Smith, Opposites Attract compared 10 New Zealand Chardonnays with 14 white Burgundies, including prestigious Grand Cru wines costing up to £990. Forty-three professionals, including Jancis Robinson MW and Tim Atkin MW, tasted the wines across Christchurch, London and Burgundy.

Smith & Sheth's Les Graviers 2024 emerged as the overall winner, while New Zealand wines topped two of the four categories. Robinson called the exercise a triumph, although the wines came from different vintages: New Zealand's 2024 and Burgundy's 2023.

Atkin questioned whether Burgundy still produces the world's greatest Chardonnay, citing climate change and the quality of international rivals. The results also highlighted the price gap, with New Zealand bottles costing £35-£95.

Smith stressed that the aim was not to replace Burgundy, but to earn New Zealand Chardonnay a place alongside it.
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California has lost more than 47,000 acres of vineyards in a year as growers respond to falling wine demand and changing consumer habits, highlighting the scale of the industry’s ongoing challenges.

New mapping data from the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) shows the state’s vineyard area fell by almost 10% through August, leaving 439,115 acres of standing vines.

The survey, conducted by agricultural science firm Land IQ, combined remote sensing, artificial intelligence and field checks to map vineyards across California.

The decline reflects a difficult market, with inflation and changing consumer preferences putting pressure on wine sales. Demand for commodity wines has weakened, prompting growers to remove vines and adjust production to match the market.

However, the true picture could be worse. The figures include vineyards that are minimally farmed, mothballed or abandoned, as well as productive sites, meaning the area actively producing grapes may be considerably smaller.

CAWG president Natalie Collins said the data highlights tough decisions facing farming families, employees and local businesses as the industry works to rebuild demand for California wine.

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