DECORKED
Posts
🍷 The Sancerre Success Story

🍷 The Sancerre Success Story

In this week’s DECORKED digest you will read all about the Cava crisis, late-spring frosts, Italian wines in America, Sancerre’s success story, the extreme climate, and much more. Keep reading!

The Decade’s Best-Performing Asset Is Not What You’d Expect

With Vinovest, you can invest in casks of rare whiskey early, before they are aged, marked up, and sold to brands. Strong partnerships with distilleries give Vinovest premium exit flexibility and pricing power. In fact, Vinovest's latest exit, its third one, resulted in 23.3% return for clients over 1 year.

It’s Whiskey Time: Experts are calling for the global whiskey market to grow from under $60 billion to over $81 billion by 2025.

Start your whiskey investing journey at Vinovest today.

Get started.

Collection of important links, information, and more.

📌 EMAIL - contact for business inquiries

📌 ADVERTISING - for advertising inquiries contact us via the email above

Happy Sunday! We hope you had a great week. In this week’s DECORKED digest, you will read all about the Cava crisis, late-spring frosts, Italian wines in America, Sancerre’s success story, the extreme climate, and much more. Keep reading!

➡️ PARTNERSHIP/SPONSORSHIP packages are available! Advertise your wine-related brand/product/story with the best community out there. For contact, please see above.

INTERESTING THIS WEEK

🎙 Taylor Swift’s love affair with wine continues on The Tortured Poets Department READ HERE

🥂 What is the growing investment potential for non-vintage Champagne? READ HERE

📈 New EU rules to reduce, reuse, and recycle packaging READ HERE

🌧 Rain can't dampen Cava crisis READ HERE

🍷 Vietnam wine sales to grow READ HERE

🏞 Where Napa Valley is now READ HERE

Collection of partnerships and collaborations.

📌 AMBLE WINE PARTNERSHIP - Explore the world of wine with Amble Wine's comprehensive World Wine Map Workbooks and challenging Wine Quiz Workbook, masterfully crafted by wine scholar Lea Gatinois. As our valued reader, enjoy a 5% discount on these premium, eco-friendly resources using code DECORKED at checkout (or click HERE). Expand your wine expertise today!

📌 SIP APP - Experience the future of wine collection management with Sip! This revolutionary app, designed by an indie developer and a passionate wine connoisseur, digitizes your wine cellar, allowing you to catalog, search, and manage your prized collection with unparalleled ease. DOWNLOAD NOW for FREE (available in the Apple Appstore)

We curate, filter, and select only the most exciting and important news for you.

‘EXTREME' CLIMATE BLAMED FOR WORLD'S WORST WINE HARVEST IN 62 YEARS

Global wine production plummeted by 10% last year, the largest drop in over six decades, due to extreme climate changes, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). Major wine-producing countries like Australia, Italy, and Spain were hardest hit. Additionally, wine consumption decreased by 3%, reaching its lowest level since 1996, attributed partly to inflation and reduced consumption in China. India entered the top 10 grape producers for the first time. France initiated vineyard reduction efforts, while Italy faced challenges like floods and hailstorms affecting its harvest.

BORDEAUX FINE WINE MARKET COULD USE A STIFFENER

The outdated pricing system in Bordeaux's wine market is causing frustration among many merchants and customers. The ‘en primeur’ sales campaign, which sets prices for the latest vintage, is about to begin, but falling prices for Bordeaux's top wines are disappointing collectors. The process involves tasting and reviewing the wines, followed by the release of prices from late April to early June. However, wines are delivered one to two years later, creating a futures market with limited supply. Merchants and customers have been irritated by price increases in recent years, except for 2019. En primeur, investment returns have been poor, with only a few estates delivering positive returns. Merchants hope for price drops to stimulate demand, with predictions ranging from 15% to even larger reductions. Despite this, there are numerous older wines available for sale, indicating a structural issue with Bordeaux's en primeur system.

THE WORLD'S MOST WANTED WINES

It's that time again for the latest trends in the wine world. Bordeaux reigns supreme in Wine-Searcher's most wanted list, with Château Mouton Rothschild leading the pack, followed closely by Château Lafite Rothschild. These Bordeaux classics are highly sought-after despite their hefty price tags. Moving away from Bordeaux, Tenuta San Guido's Sassicaia from Tuscany takes the third spot, offering a different taste of luxury. Dom Pérignon's Brut represents Champagne at number four, while Petrus from Bordeaux's Right Bank claims fifth place. Château Margaux and Château Latour continue Bordeaux's dominance at six and seven, respectively. Château Haut-Brion and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti add diversity to the list, with Château d'Yquem wrapping up the top ten with its renowned Sauternes. Despite some critics predicting Bordeaux's decline, seven out of the ten wines on the list hail from this region, indicating its enduring popularity.

Sip - Collect and Enjoy wine

US CONSUMERS TURN TO ITALIAN WINE

Italy holds a special allure for Americans, with a large Italian-American population and an ever-thriving Italian restaurant scene in the US. Brunello, an Italian wine, has been popular in the US since the 1970s, driven by its quality and consistent vintages. Despite challenges, it continues to sell well due to its appeal to both seasoned wine enthusiasts and newcomers. Brunello's success has also led consumers to explore other lesser-known Italian varieties. Younger wine drinkers are increasingly interested in indigenous Italian varieties, seeking unique and affordable options. Italian wines, including Nerello and Corvina, are gaining traction among collectors for their food-friendly nature and intriguing profiles. Overall, Italian wine attracts interest from experienced collectors and newcomers, reflecting a growing appreciation for unique and compelling wines across generations.

GERMAN WINE GROWERS WORRIED OVER RECENT LATE-SPRING FROSTS

Overnight frosts in late spring have sparked concerns among winemakers in Germany about potential damage to this year's harvest. The German Winegrowers' Association (DWV) worries that the cold temperatures could harm wine yields, particularly because the vegetation is already well advanced due to recent record heat. DWV President Klaus Schneider stated that the frosts are particularly devastating because they are affecting young, fertile shoots, potentially leading to lower yields or even a complete loss. Temperatures dropping as low as minus 2.5 degrees Celsius since last Sunday have caused severe damage in some wine-growing regions, although the extent varies across regions. The full extent of the damage is expected to become clearer in the coming days.

THE SANCERRE SUCCESS STORY

Sancerre, renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc, faces the unique challenge of meeting high demand rather than finding buyers. Despite its commercial success, Sancerre remains a close-knit community of family farmers focused on quality over profit. Organizations like Sicavac drive the region's evolution towards sustainability and excellence, promoting initiatives like massal selection vineyards and reducing agrochemicals. Sancerre is also exploring red wines, particularly Pinot Noir, which is gaining recognition for its quality. While Sancerre commands premium prices, neighboring regions offer similar quality wines at more affordable prices.

MAN TURNS MOUNTAIN DEW INTO WINE WITH JUST 3 INGREDIENTS

Get ready to elevate your drinking experience because Charles Biolo, known as @goldenhivemead on TikTok, has created a buzz with his viral video showing how to transform Mountain Dew into wine. Biolo initially expressed uncertainty about the success of his boozy experiment but proceeded to combine two bottles of Mountain Dew with honey and yeast in a large container. After a few weeks of fermentation, during which he added baking soda and clarifier to adjust the taste, Mountain Dew wine was born. Biolo admitted the resulting beverage had a slight chemical aftertaste but described it as resembling a smooth citrus mead. Despite this, he considered the experiment a success. Commenters expressed their admiration for the unconventional creation, with some even suggesting Biolo try turning the beloved Baja Blast into wine next.

WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE

The Loire Valley, situated in western France, follows the path of the Loire River from the hills of Auvergne to the Atlantic coast near Nantes. Known for its diversity, the region produces a wide range of wine styles, including Muscadet, Bonnezeaux, Vouvray, Chinon, and Saumur. Notably absent from this overview are the famous Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines. White wines dominate production, with a significant portion falling under IGP designations, including the region-wide IGP Loire. While red wines are increasing in quality and popularity, they offer less diversity than whites, with variations from light-bodied Gamay to spicy Bourgueil. Despite being overshadowed by regions like Bordeaux, the Loire Valley has been historically significant in French wine culture, although its prominence has declined in recent years due to consumer preferences favoring robust reds, a style not typically associated with the region.

GRAPE OF THE WEEK: CHASSELAS

Chasselas, the predominant white grape variety in Switzerland, thrives in the Vaud region and is well-suited to Switzerland's cool alpine climate due to its early ripening. While it has garnered a somewhat negative reputation abroad, possibly due to its tendency to become overly vigorous if not properly managed, Chasselas-based wines can exhibit complexity and richness. They boast fruity, floral, and mineral notes, balanced acidity, and can age gracefully, developing honeyed and nutty flavors over time. Chasselas pairs excellently with Swiss dishes such as fondue.

How are you satisfied with this week's DECORKED?

Let us know, so we can do better. Simply click bellow.

🍾 Amazing | 🍷 Good | 🍇 I don't like it | 🤬 I wish I didn't subscribe

If someone forwarded this email to you, click HERE to subscribe.

Help us grow and earn rewards.