💥 What’s Really in Your Glass?

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Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week ahead. In this week’s DECORKED digest, we look at Burgundy’s $50K bottle boom, what alcohol labels don’t tell you, how Uruguay’s winemakers are rewriting tradition, and why Champagne keeps surfacing in the Baltic Sea. Keep reading!

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WHEN WINE BECOMES A TROPHY

One of Burgundy’s top bottles has just hit a new high; $50,000 on average, across all vintages. While rare wines have flirted with sky-high prices before, this milestone marks a shift: wine that’s not just collectible, but borderline untouchable. As market dynamics push prices ever higher, the gap widens between wine lovers and the bottles they once dreamed of tasting. With limited supply, growing demand, and cult status driving prices up, it raises a bigger question - at what point does wine stop being something you drink, and start being something else entirely?

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HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS ACTUALLY IN YOUR GLASS?

The alcohol percentage printed on a wine label might not be as accurate as one might think. In the U.S., regulations allow a margin of error of up to 1.5%, meaning a wine labeled at 12% could actually be closer to 13.5%. While that may not sound dramatic, it can affect how the wine tastes, how it hits, and even its calorie count. Limited oversight means many producers take advantage of the wiggle room, often for tax reasons or to better appeal to drinkers. So if you're counting on that label for accuracy, you might be getting more (or less) than you bargained for.

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URUGUAY’S NEW WAVE OF WINEMAKERS

Uruguay’s next-generation winemakers are reshaping the country’s wine identity through experimental side projects that go beyond tradition. With fresh takes on Tannat, natural winemaking, and sub-labels that reflect global experience, these producers are carving out space for Uruguay on the international stage. Their approach blends innovation with family legacy, exploring new grape varieties, low-intervention methods, and unconventional formats - while still honoring the foundations laid by earlier generations. The result is a dynamic, evolving wine culture that’s as much about discovery as it is about heritage.

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WHY IS THERE SO MUCH CHAMPAGNE IN THE BALTIC SEA?

Champagne's long journey from France to royal courts across Europe once relied heavily on trade routes through the treacherous Baltic Sea. But storms, shallow waters, and scattered islands caused countless shipwrecks; many still filled with precious bubbly. Uniquely cold, dark, and low in salinity, the Baltic has preserved these wrecks and their Champagne cargoes for over a century. Divers have since recovered bottles from historic vessels, some dating back to the 1800s, and remarkably, many of these lost wines are still drinkable, and incredibly valuable.

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GEN Z IS RAISING A GLASS AFTER ALL?

Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z may not be turning away from alcohol as much as once thought. A 2025 survey found that 73%OF Gen Z adults across 15 countries reported drinking alcohol in the past six months, up from 66% in 2023. In the U.S., that number jumped from 46% to 70%. While moderation and occasional abstinence remain common among young drinkers, rising disposable income and shifting habits suggest Gen Z’s drinking behavior is aligning more closely with older generations.

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WINE, WATER, AND A 1,500-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY

​A U.S. archaeologist says new excavations in Khirbet Qana, a village in northern Israel, make a compelling case that it, and not Kafr Kanna, is the true location of Jesus turning water into wine. Findings include early Christian crosses, an altar, and a stone vessel matching biblical details, reigniting debate over the site’s historical authenticity.

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THE WINEMAKING SECRET BEHIND YOUR FAVORITE DESSERTS

Many beloved baking recipes rely on cream of tartar, a powdery substance that’s actually a byproduct of the winemaking process. Formed when tartaric acid from fermenting grapes binds with potassium, this compound (also called potassium bitartrate) is essential for stabilizing whipped egg whites, adding chew to cookies like snickerdoodles, and creating the signature texture in desserts like meringues and angel food cake.

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WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: NAHE, GERMANY

Nahe is a small but diverse German wine region known for its dramatic landscapes, varied soils, and high-quality Riesling. Despite a complex history and shrinking vineyard area, it remains a source of distinctive wines shaped by unique microclimates and a mix of grape varieties, both white and red.

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GRAPE OF THE WEEK: PINOT BLANC

Pinot Blanc is a versatile white grape, often compared to Chardonnay, producing styles ranging from crisp and light to rich and oaked. While it thrives in Alsace, Italy, and Austria (where it can even become luxurious dessert wine), it’s also used for sparkling wine in regions like Canada and California

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