🏆 Women Leading Wine

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Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week ahead. In this week’s DECORKED digest, celebrate women in wine, discover if old vines shape flavor, how wineries are reusing CO2, embracing tech, rethinking wine pours, and much more. Keep reading!

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🎤 What can Taylor Swift teach the wine trade about consumers? READ HERE

🍷 US tariffs may wipe €1 billion off Italian wine exports READ HERE

🔍 How tasting notes play tricks with our expectations READ HERE

📊 Fine wine prices are ‘close to bottoming out’ READ HERE

🍇 Is Gippsland the future of Australian wine? READ HERE

💰 Does it pay to farm organically? READ HERE

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WOMEN IN WINE: LEADING WITH PASSION

Women in the wine industry are shaping trends, breaking barriers, and leading in both winemaking and business, despite historical challenges in this male-dominated field. To celebrate International Women’s Day, several leading women in wine share their insights, favorite wines, and advice for aspiring professionals. They emphasize passion, resilience, education, and networking as key to success, with many noting that the industry is becoming more inclusive. Their “desert island wines” reflect personal milestones, from family legacies to unforgettable tasting experiences. Whether in vineyards, winemaking, logistics, or leadership, these women are driving change and inspiring the next generation.

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MEET XINOMAVRO: GREECE’S BOLD AND AGE-WORTHY RED

Xinomavro, Greece’s flagship red grape, is a complex and age-worthy variety most closely associated with Naoussa in Macedonia. Its name—derived from “xino” (sour) and “mavro” (black)—hints at its bold character, offering bright red fruit flavors, firm tannins, and earthy depth reminiscent of both Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. While primarily known for red wines, xinomavro also shines in rosé and sparkling styles. Food-friendly and versatile, it pairs well with umami-rich dishes like mushroom risotto or roast goose. With supermarket-friendly options and age-worthy bottles alike, xinomavro is a serious wine worth discovering.

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CAN TIME BE TASTED IN OLD VINES?

At Barcelona Wine Week, experts debated whether old vines truly impact wine quality or if their value lies more in cultural and environmental sustainability. While lower yields and deep root systems allow these vines to produce wines with greater concentration, acidity, and resilience to climate change, their significance extends beyond taste. Panelists highlighted their role in preserving genetic diversity and regional identity, with some likening old-vine study to “wine archaeology.” While winemaking skill influences quality, old vines tell a unique story—one shaped by time, terroir, and tradition.

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BREAKTHROUGH ALLOWS WINEGROWERS TO REUSE CO2 EMITTED IN THEIR CELLARS

Bordeaux start-up W Platform has developed an innovative system to capture and recycle CO2 emissions from fermentation, helping wineries reduce costs, carbon footprints, and reliance on gas suppliers. Their patented CO2 Box technology naturally collects CO2 from fermentation vats, converting it into liquid form for reuse in cooling grapes, inerting tanks, and improving water efficiency. Already adopted by top producers like Château Latour and Champagne Drappier, the system enhances worker safety while promoting sustainability. Additionally, W Platform is developing Less Alco, a method to lower wine alcohol content using re-injected CO2, with promising trials underway.

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SMART WINERIES: HOW TECH IS RESHAPING WINE

Wineries are using cutting-edge technology to improve sustainability and quality. Bouchaine monitors vineyard conditions with sensors, Page Springs Cellars powers operations with solar energy and recycles wastewater, and J. Lohr’s ARIEL refines alcohol-free wine with reverse osmosis. Beringer and Etude lead in energy efficiency, while AVIVO enriches soil with regenerative farming. These innovations reduce waste, optimize resources, and create wines that are both expressive and eco-friendly.

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HOW MANY GLASSES OF WINE ARE IN A BOTTLE? THE ANSWER MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

A standard 750ml wine bottle holds about 25.4 ounces, but how many glasses that equals depends on the pour. Restaurants typically serve five ounces per glass, yielding five servings, but some opt for 6-ounce pours (four glasses) or even larger “country club pours” of 8.5 ounces (three glasses). Wine glass size also skews perception, making pours look smaller or larger. Sommeliers emphasize consistency to manage guest expectations, but at home, the pour is up to you—whether measured, generous, or straight from the bottle with a straw.

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MUSIC MEETS WINE: A SYMPHONY OF FERMENTATION

Winemaker Raphaël Pommier of Domaine de Cousignac uses music to enhance fermentation, believing sound waves influence yeast activity and wine complexity. Collaborating with composers, he pairs each vintage with custom music, likening grape varieties to instruments. Customers can even scan a QR code to hear the sounds that shaped their wine. This fusion of art and science has earned critical acclaim, creating wines that engage more than just the palate.

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WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: BELA KRAJINA, SLOVENIA

Bela Krajina, Slovenia's smallest wine-growing district, is nestled in the southeastern part of the country between the Gorjanci Hills and the Kolpa River. This region benefits from a warm climate influenced by both continental and Mediterranean factors, with limestone and dolomite soils that contribute to the unique character of its wines. Notably, Bela Krajina is renowned for producing Slovenia's first ice wine in 1986 and is celebrated for its varietal wines, particularly Yellow Muscat among whites and Blaufränkisch among reds.

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GRAPE OF THE WEEK: YELLOW MUSCAT

Yellow Muscat, known as Moscato Giallo in Italy, is a distinctive white grape variety celebrated for its golden-hued berries and characteristic nutmeg aroma. Predominantly cultivated in Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige region, this grape is often employed to craft sweet, passito-style wines, where dried grapes yield rich and aromatic profiles. Its unique flavor and versatility have garnered appreciation among wine enthusiasts seeking diverse tasting experiences.

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