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🗝️ The Quietest Wine Market

🗝️ The Quietest Wine Market

In this week’s DECORKED digest, we unpack how cult wines weather climate swings, dive into a major wine fraud scandal in Switzerland, explore the secretive Vatican wine trade, and watch Bhutan’s first vintage make auction waves.

May 12, 2025

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Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week ahead. In this week’s DECORKED digest, we unpack how cult wines weather climate swings, dive into a major wine fraud scandal in Switzerland, explore the secretive Vatican wine trade, and watch Bhutan’s first vintage make auction waves. Keep reading!

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Read the most important and interesting news this week.

🔒 Napa Valley winery owner pleads guilty in federal tax fraud case READ HERE

🍇 Italian wine sector strengthening ties with U.S. trade partners READ HERE

🍾 This sparkling wine is having a surprising comeback READ HERE

🍷 Wine accounts for over half of EU alcohol exports READ HERE

🗞️ How cannabis drinks are hijacking wine’s legacy READ HERE

🌍 Which countries drink the most wine? READ HERE

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

CULT WINES STAY STEADY UNDER PRESSURE

A recent Washington State University study finds that cult wines (ultra-premium, allocation-only bottles) are less affected by weather variability than high-quality, non-cult wines. Analyzing data from California and Washington, researchers discovered that non-cult wine scores and pricing were more sensitive to temperature and rainfall shifts, while cult wines remained remarkably consistent. Strategic vineyard location and tighter quality expectations may explain their resilience, offering lessons for how other producers might adapt to climate uncertainty.

FAKE WINE SCANDAL SHAKES SWITZERLAND

A major wine fraud case in Switzerland’s Valais region has exposed the illegal relabelling of bulk Spanish and lower-tier wines as premium local appellations. Investigations revealed years of forged invoices, falsified blends, and profit-driven deception that undercut legitimate producers and misled consumers. The case highlighted rising concerns over fraudulent practices in European wine markets and has prompted stricter controls and calls for legally recognized isotopic testing to better protect producers and appellation integrity.

HOW DOES THE VATICAN WINE MARKET WORK?

Vatican City, though tiny and secretive, imports more wine per capita than any country in the world-most of it Italian and often destined for both sacramental and everyday use. Accessing this exclusive market relies more on personal connections than paperwork, with producers keeping buyer details closely guarded. Imports fluctuate significantly year to year, and wine sold duty-free inside the enclave often finds its way back across Roman borders. With a mix of tradition, mystery, and prestige, the Vatican wine trade is as complex and closely held as the Church itself.

FIRST VINTAGE FROM BHUTAN FETCHES $74,250 AT AUCTION

Bhutan’s first commercial wine vintage made a striking debut at auction, with 21 lots fetching $74,250, including a 7.57-liter bottle dubbed “The Himalayan” that sold for $18,750. Produced from the country’s 2023 inaugural harvest, the wines mark the start of a bold new industry high in the Himalayas. With vineyards reaching nearly 2,800 meters and a diverse mix of international grape varieties, Bhutan is positioning itself as one of the world’s most intriguing emerging wine regions.

BORDEAUX 2024 FACES A HARD SELL

This year’s Bordeaux futures campaign is off to a rocky start, with even steep price cuts struggling to spark interest. A mixed vintage, economic uncertainty, a weak U.S. dollar, and unpredictable tariffs have left American merchants cautious - some opting out entirely. While top producers have lowered prices by as much as 30%, the savings are blunted by exchange rates and broader market fatigue. With the excitement of the 2022 vintage still fresh, 2024 is shaping up to be a tough sell despite the deals.

HOW WINEMAKERS ARE REDEFINING REGIONAL WINE STYLES

In an evolving wine world, producers from regions like Cahors, Barolo, Abruzzo, and Baden are rewriting expectations. Once known for dense, traditional styles, these areas are now producing fresher, more expressive wines that highlight terroir, finesse, and drinkability. In Abruzzo, the stereotype of dense, oaky Montepulciano is giving way to refined, vibrant bottles. And in Germany’s Baden region, Pinot Noir, often dismissed as rustic, is now gaining global acclaim for its finesse and precision. From biodynamic Malbecs in France’s Southwest to lifted Nebbiolo from a new wave of Barolo producers, a new generation of winemakers is breaking with convention, and reshaping how we experience classic regions.

CAN ENGLISH SPARKLING WIN OVER AMERICA?

With production booming and the domestic market reaching its limits, English sparkling wine producers are setting their sights on the US. A new trade deal could make access easier, but success will depend on more than just paperwork. As sommeliers and wine insiders praise the quality, high prices and low name recognition remain barriers. Still, with strong brands, growing international curiosity, and climate conditions increasingly in their favor, English fizz is steadily carving out its place on the global stage.

Discover wine events worldwide.

🥂 Vinous Icons: Italy (May 14 - 17, New York, US) - LEARN MORE

🥂 Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (May 15 - 18, California, US) - LEARN MORE

🥂 London Wine Fair (May 19 - 21, London, UK) - LEARN MORE

🥂 BottleRock Napa Valley (May 23 - 25, California, US) - LEARN MORE

🥂 Virginia Wine Festival (May 31, Virginia, US) - LEARN MORE

🥂 The Wine Circuit (June 6 - 8, London, UK) - LEARN MORE

🥂 Yerevan Wine Days (June 6 - 8, Yerevan, Armenia) - LEARN MORE

Learn something new every week.

WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: ALAZANI VALLEY, GEORGIA

Alazani Valley, a subregion of Georgia’s Kakheti wine region, benefits from a warm climate and rich alluvial soils that produce ripe, semi-sweet wines, especially from the Rkatsiteli grape. With a winemaking history dating back 8000 years, the area is considered one of the birthplaces of wine, offering distinctive styles often enjoyed with dessert or cheese.

GRAPE OF THE WEEK: RKATSITELI

Rkatsiteli is Georgia’s most planted white grape and one of the world’s oldest, thriving for millennia in the country’s cold winters and hot summers. Known for its high acidity and versatility, it produces everything from crisp whites to structured orange wines, with flavors of green apple, quince, and white peach. Though less aromatic, it remains a cornerstone of Georgian winemaking and is gaining ground in the U.S., Eastern Europe, and beyond.

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