- DECORKED
- Posts
- 🌗 Is Blanc the New Noir?
🌗 Is Blanc the New Noir?
In this week’s DECORKED digest, we look at why wine is getting harder to sell, how extreme heat is hitting European vineyards, and what’s driving New York’s retail wine shakeup. We also highlight France’s shift to white wine, and a rising wine region in Chile.
Collection of important links, information, and more.
📌 EMAIL - contact for business inquiries
📌 ADVERTISING - for advertising inquiries contact us via the email above
Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week ahead. In this week’s DECORKED digest, we look at why wine is getting harder to sell, how extreme heat is hitting European vineyards, and what’s driving New York’s retail wine shakeup. We also highlight France’s shift to white wine, and a rising wine region in Chile. 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.
Read the most important and interesting news this week.
🗺️ How Hong Kong on-trade supports emerging wineries and regions READ HERE
🍇 US winery makes history with Châteauneuf-du-Pape grapes READ HERE
🍷 How ‘boring Bordeaux’ is having a wine renaissance READ HERE
⛓️💥 ‘Prison island’ wine contract extended until 2050 READ HERE
🎥 The ‘YouTube King of Wine Pronunciation’ READ HERE
📍 Sauvignon Blanc’s latest viral moment 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!
We curate, filter, and select only the most exciting and important news for you.
WHY FRANCE IS SWITCHING FROM RED TO WHITE
French wine regions are responding to declining red wine demand and shifting tastes by increasing white wine production. Beaujolais plans to triple its white output, while Roussillon is planting more white grapes suited to warmer climates. Sancerre, now known for Sauvignon Blanc, made a similar shift over a century ago. Bordeaux, however, is focusing on diversification and climate adaptation rather than expanding white varieties. Though Provence and others are seeing modest growth in white wine, rosé and red remain their focus. Overall, white wine is gaining ground as France adapts to changing markets and climate realities.
WINE’S TOUGHEST JOB: SELLING
Selling wine has become a major challenge for wineries, even as winemaking itself remains a craft rooted in passion and expertise. Rising costs, shrinking profit margins, and a saturated market are pushing many producers, especially small ones, into crisis. Large wholesalers are consolidating and dropping smaller brands, leaving many without distribution. Meanwhile, consumer demand is shifting toward lower-alcohol and alternative beverages, making it harder to sell traditional wines, particularly high-alcohol California reds. DTC strategies offer a potential solution, but navigating complex state regulations and logistics adds another layer of difficulty. Ultimately, this paints a sobering picture: today’s wine economy is more complex, costly, and uncertain than ever, especially for the little guys.
EXTREME HEAT IS CHANGING EUROPEAN WINE
A new study published in PLOS Climate finds that Europe’s wine regions are being hit hardest by climate change, with significantly more extreme heat days during the growing season than other parts of the world. Researchers analyzed 500 grape varieties and found European vineyards are experiencing temperature increases up to 2.5°C since 1980, which affects harvest timing, grape ripening, and ultimately wine quality. While other regions like South America are warming too, they haven’t seen the same spikes in extreme heat. Researchers urge growers to adapt with heat-tolerant grape varieties and stress that the future of wine depends on global climate action.
INSIDE NYC’S WINE RETAIL APOCALYPSE
New York City's wine retail industry is facing a major crisis, driven by declining wine consumption, shifting consumer preferences, and economic pressures. High-profile closures like Sherry-Lehmann and Chelsea Wine Storage reveal deep financial and operational instability, while younger consumers increasingly favor cannabis, canned cocktails, and low- or no-alcohol options over traditional wine. Online wine retailers like Winc and Global Wine Company have also collapsed, highlighting the challenges of the DTC model. Tariff threats, high rents, and legal restrictions add further pressure. Yet stores like Astor Wines show that innovation, employee ownership, and experience-driven retail can still offer a path forward.
A NEW WINE VALLEY EMERGES IN CHILE
Chile’s Río Laja Valley is emerging as a significant new wine region, blending over 150 years of viticultural history with a renewed focus on old vines and sustainability. Located near the Itata Valley, it boasts pre-phylloxera European grape varieties, ancient País vines, and unique volcanic soils ideal for quality wine production. The region is also developing wine tourism, offering visitors access to historic vineyards and traditional winemaking practices, positioning Laja as both a cultural and scientific treasure in Chilean wine.
LEBANESE WINEMAKERS PERSIST
Lebanon, one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, is still making standout wines despite ongoing challenges. The Bekaa Valley, with its high-altitude vineyards and ideal climate, is home to around 80 wineries working with both French and native grape varieties. Château Musar may be the most famous internationally, but plenty of other producers are starting to get noticed for their quality. Even with obstacles like war and power outages, winemakers continue to push forward. With deep roots and fresh energy, Lebanese wine is steadily gaining global recognition.
UC DAVIS LAUNCHES WINES MADE BY STUDENTS
UC Davis has launched its first student-made wines for public sale through its Hilgard631 project. Made from campus-grown grapes, the wines are sold onsite, with proceeds funding scholarships. A recent California law made the sales possible, adding a real-world sales component to the winemaking course. The lineup includes six wines from both Yolo County and Oakville AVA, giving students hands-on experience from vineyard to marketplace.
Discover wine events worldwide.
🥂 Bordeaux Wine Festival (June 19 - 22, Bordeaux, France) - LEARN MORE
🥂 Food&Wine Classic (June 20 - 22, Aspen, US) - LEARN MORE
🥂 Garagiste Wine Festival (June 21, Los Angeles, US) - LEARN MORE
🥂 Festival Des Vins D’Aniane (June 21 - 22, Aniane, France) - LEARN MORE
🥂 English Wine Week (June 21 - 29, UK) - LEARN MORE
Learn something new every week.
Copyright @ Wine Searcher
WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
Maharashtra produces over 90% of India’s wine, with key regions like Nashik and Pune supported by government incentives. Despite tropical challenges, high-altitude vineyards and a southern hemisphere growing season allow for balanced wines made from Shiraz, Cabernet, and Chenin Blanc.
Copyright @ Wine Searcher
GRAPE OF THE WEEK: CABERNET MORAVIA
Cabernet Moravia, a cross between Cabernet Franc and Zweigelt, is primarily grown in the Moravia region of the Czech Republic. Though officially recognized only in 2001, it produces deeply colored reds with blackcurrant notes, structured tannins, and good aging potential. The grape's thick skins offer disease resistance, making it suitable for Moravia’s late harvest season.
How are you satisfied with this week's DECORKED?Let us know, so we can do better. Simply click bellow. |
If someone forwarded this email to you, click HERE to subscribe.
Help us grow and earn rewards.