News Articles - Wine Industry Digest

‘NOW THAT DRY JANUARY IS OVER – IT’S NOT ONLY TIME TO DRINK WINE BUT ALSO TO GROW GRAPES – WINEGB LAUNCHES ITS NEW ENTRANTS GUIDE

🇬🇧UK WineGB Feb 4, 2026 News

WineGB has launched a comprehensive New Entrants Guide to help aspiring winemakers and vineyard owners navigate the growing UK wine sector. The revised 104-page guide, sponsored by NFU Mutual and dedicated to English wine pioneer Peter Hall, covers everything from viticulture and winemaking to business planning and market routes. It's designed to give newcomers realistic expectations about the increasingly expensive business of wine production, and is available exclusively to WineGB members through their Knowledge Hub.

Ukraine's wine industry endures hardships and adapts amid ongoing war

🇪🇺Europe Decanter Feb 3, 2026 News

Ukraine's wine industry is facing unprecedented challenges as the ongoing war disrupts production, supply chains, and exports. Despite the hardships, Ukrainian winemakers are finding ways to adapt and continue their craft, showcasing the resilience of the country's growing wine sector. It's a testament to how the industry is persevering through one of its toughest periods.

Croxsons unveils British sparkling wine bottle

🇬🇧UK Harpers Wine & Spirit Feb 2, 2026 News

UK glass bottle manufacturer Croxsons has launched a new bottle specifically designed for English and Welsh sparkling wine producers. It's a positive development for the domestic sparkling wine sector, showing investment in the infrastructure needed to support Britain's growing reputation for quality sparkling wines.

Jamie George embraces English Sparkling ahead of Six Nations

🇬🇧UK The Drinks Business Jan 29, 2026 News

Nyetimber has appointed former England rugby captain Jamie George as brand ambassador, following the sparkling wine producer's announcement as official partner of England Rugby ahead of the 2026 Six Nations. The campaign celebrates George's two-decade career with content filmed at Hertford RFC, where his rugby journey began, and features Nyetimber's iconic Routemaster Bus. The partnership also highlights grassroots rugby, with Nyetimber recently becoming official sparkling wine partner of Richmond Rugby Club.

Read more From Digest #10

LCB shares the secret to world-class service

🇬🇧UK The Drinks Business Jan 27, 2026 News

London City Bond, one of the UK's leading bonded warehouses for wine and spirits, credits its staff loyalty and workplace culture for delivering reliable service during the hectic Christmas peak season. The company, which has nearly 40 years of experience, maintains an impressive average employee tenure of over 10 years, unusual for the logistics sector, by investing in staff development and fostering a positive working environment. For wine importers and merchants relying on smooth distribution, LCB's operational strength matters directly to their ability to get stock to customers on time.

Read more From Digest #10

BBR auctions ‘treasure trove’ from the cellars of the Berry and Rudd families

🇬🇧UK The Drinks Business Jan 26, 2026 News

Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain's oldest fine wine merchant, is holding an auction of exceptional wines sourced directly from the cellars of the Berry and Rudd families. The online sale, closing on 3 February, features remarkable bottles spanning two centuries including a 1966 Château Cheval Blanc and rare vintages, with proceeds from the Family Reserve being reinvested into the collection. A real highlight is three miniature bottles of 1911 Mumm Champagne originally created for Queen Mary's Dolls' House in 1924, which have never been publicly offered for sale before.

Read more From Digest #10

First Wine Barrels Made of Wood and Stone Introduced - More Freshness in Wine than in Classic Barrique

🌍Other wein.plus Jan 26, 2026 News

Austrian cooperage Schön has unveiled the wine industry's first hybrid barriques, combining wood and stone in a single barrel. Wines aged in these innovative vessels reportedly taste fresher and fruitier compared to those from traditional wooden barrels, potentially offering producers a new tool for achieving desired flavour profiles.

Read more From Digest #10

Bordeaux Wine Industry Faces Deepening Crisis as €130 Million Vine Removal Plan Announced

🇪🇺Europe Jan 20, 2026 News

Bordeaux is facing unprecedented challenges as producers have announced a major €130 million plan to remove vines from production. The crisis stems from a combination of falling demand, climate pressures, and the industry's struggle to adapt, with producers now calling on the government for urgent support in the 2026 budget. This signals that even the world's most prestigious wine region is grappling with serious structural headwinds.

The fine wine scandal that left investors millions out of pocket

🌍Other The Telegraph Jan 20, 2026 News

A major fine wine investment scandal has left investors out of millions of pounds, according to reporting from The Telegraph. The story highlights concerning vulnerabilities in how fine wine is marketed and sold as an investment vehicle, raising questions about safeguards for retail investors entering this alternative asset class.

Vines from 1991 become eligible for Old Vine Registry

🌍Other Drinks Retailing Jan 16, 2026 News

Good news for vintage vine fans! Vineyards planted in 1991 have now hit the 35-year mark, making them eligible for The Old Vine Registry. The registry has grown to nearly 9,400 vineyards across 42 countries with importers and a public "Heritage Vine Hunt" contest helping to document historic sites in regions like Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley.

North Yorkshire vineyard reports 'jaw-dropping' year

🇬🇧UK They York Press Jan 10, 2026 News

A North Yorkshire vineyard has had an exceptional year and they're calling it 'jaw-dropping'. The York Press piece covers what's clearly a strong performance for the operation, which fits the wider story of UK viticulture gaining momentum in recent years.

Plumpton College pledges £500,000 of fully funded training to the English Wine Industry

🇬🇧UK WineGB Jan 8, 2026 News

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.

French Wine Giants Plan €320 Million Merger as Industry Faces Climate and Consumption Challenges

🇪🇺Europe Vinetur Dec 16, 2025 News

Two major French wine producers are joining forces in a €320 million merger as the industry grapples with climate pressures and shifting consumer habits. It's a significant consolidation move that reflects how established players are adapting to tougher growing conditions and changing drinking patterns across Europe. Worth watching to see if this signals a broader wave of M&A activity among traditional wine regions.

Hungary winemakers fear disease may ‘wipe out’ industry

🇪🇺Europe The Straits Times Dec 14, 2025 News

Hungarian winemakers are facing a serious threat from a disease that could devastate the country's wine industry. This is a significant story for the EU wine sector, as Hungary's a major producer and any widespread crop failure could affect European wine supplies and prices. Worth keeping an eye on how this develops and whether it spreads to neighbouring wine regions.

Vagabond brings the UK’s largest urban winery to London

🇬🇧UK WineGB Dec 12, 2025 News

Vagabond's just opened the UK's largest urban winery at Canada Water in London – a 6,000 sq ft space with a working 100-tonne cellar where you can taste straight from barrel, grab over 100 wines by the glass, and book everything from winery tours to full dinners. It's a pretty interesting move for the London wine scene, especially with their in-house team making award-winning wines from grapes sourced within two hours of the city, and it shows how the retail wine business is evolving beyond traditional bars into proper immersive experiences.

WSET’s Simon McMurtrie: ‘I hope to be an enthusiastic cheerleader’

🌍Other The Drinks Business Dec 10, 2025 News

WSET's outgoing chair Simon McMurtrie has given an interview to The Drinks Business reflecting on his tenure leading the charity and its expansion of wine education globally. It's a nice peek behind the curtain at how one of the wine industry's most influential educational bodies is run, and McMurtrie comes across as genuinely passionate about making wine study accessible rather than elitist. Worth a read if you're interested in how the industry's training infrastructure is evolving.

Welsh wine and cheese shine on the world stage with major award wins

🇬🇧UK Wales247.co.uk Dec 8, 2025 News

Welsh wine producers are getting some serious recognition on the international stage with major award wins alongside their cheese counterparts. It's a great story for the UK wine industry. Welsh wine' has been gaining credibility for a while now, but seeing it celebrated alongside traditional food products shows how far the sector's come in terms of quality and reputation.

Something 'wicked' this way comes: Kent's 2025 harvest special report

🌍Other The Buyer Dec 4, 2025 News

Dan Barwick, a winemaker who's spent two decades in Sonoma, has come back to Kent and reported on what looks like a seriously impressive 2025 harvest. The Buyer's exclusive breakdown goes month-by-month through the growing season and reckons it could be a landmark vintage for English wine.

The Big Interview: Raquel Pérez Cuevas

🌍Other The Drinks Business Dec 4, 2025 News

Raquel Pérez Cuevas has just become the first female president of DOCa Rioja's regulatory council, winning a landslide 99% of the vote at a pivotal moment for the region. The Drinks Business interview covers her take on Rioja's centenary celebrations and the challenges ahead – from geopolitical uncertainty to market pressures – though she's banking on the region's stellar reputation with consumers to weather the storm. It's a solid leadership profile piece on one of Spain's most prestigious wine designations during a tricky period.

Three German wine industry associations plan to merge

🇪🇺Europe wein.plus Dec 3, 2025 News

Three German wine industry associations are planning to merge, which is a pretty significant structural shift for the sector. This kind of consolidation typically happens when associations want to streamline operations and boost their collective bargaining power, so it'll be interesting to see how it affects representation and policy influence across the German wine industry.