Plumpton College is putting half a million quid into free training for English wine producers and trade professionals throughout 2026 to mark its centenary year. It's a solid move given the current economic headwinds – they're offering everything from vineyard skills to business development courses with no limits on how many courses businesses can book.
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The no and low alcohol category in the UK is starting to show signs of maturity - household participation actually dipped slightly in December despite a 14% rise in spending. It's an interesting shift: it suggests that whilst fewer people are trying no and low options, the ones who've already switched are buying more of their favourites, which could indicate the category's moving from growth phase into consolidation.
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Kingsland Drinks is forecasting that 2026 will be defined by canned wine, no-and-low options, and premium value positioning. They're betting big on the trend themselves - their Salford facility's new canning line can pump out 26 million cans a year, and they've just partnered with Sicilian organic brand Vinca to can their wines.
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British winemakers are getting excited about an early harvest that's shaping up to be a record vintage. The Scottish Farmer's reporting on this suggests the UK wine industry is having a cracking year, which is worth paying attention to given how weather-dependent wine production is. This could be a significant moment for English and Scottish wine if the quality matches the optimism.
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Marzipan is subscription commerce software built for wineries — manage clubs, orders, and customers in one place.
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Spain's wine industry, worth a massive €22.4 billion, is facing serious headwinds right now. Euro Weekly News reports on what's driving the crisis, and it's worth keeping tabs on given Spain's huge importance to European wine production and export markets.
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A celebrity endorsement's sparked a massive sell-out of Sancerre wine in France - apparently Taylor Swift's been spotted enjoying it, and retailers can't keep it on the shelves. It's a brilliant example of how celebrity culture can shift wine market dynamics, even for established French regions. France 24's picked up on what's become a genuinely interesting moment for the wine trade in terms of consumer behaviour and demand spikes.
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Wine Paris is positioning itself as the world's leading wine trade show and wants to build on that dominance. The analysis from The-Buyer.net looks at how the show's organisers plan to maintain their number one status, which is worth paying attention to if you're involved in European wine distribution, retail, or production—it's basically the industry's biggest networking and sourcing event.
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Portugal's Vinho Verde region is in the middle of a major fraud investigation called 'Puro Verde'. Police have arrested eight people including four commission officials and raided 21 properties following an anonymous whistleblower tip. It's a rough moment for the region's 12,000+ growers and 400 bottlers, though the commission's insisting it had no prior knowledge and is co-operating fully with authorities to sort out what's happened.
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Vinexposium's announced the nominees for their V d'Or awards, and there's a solid UK and EU presence in the mix. The awards are focused on innovation, sustainability, and education across wine and spirits, with winners being announced in February alongside Wine Paris, so it's worth keeping an eye on if you're tracking industry initiatives or looking for inspiration on what's trending.
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Napa Valley wineries are deploying AI wine concierges to drive engagement and sales through their direct-to-consumer channels. Is this a smart move for DTC? Personalised recommendations and 24/7 customer service without the overhead. Worth keeping an eye on whether this trend spreads to European producers, especially as DTC becomes increasingly competitive.
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