In the sun-drenched hills and coastal plains of southeastern France, where olive groves shimmer and vineyards cling to limestone slopes, one of the most understated yet essential elements of terroir is not the soil, nor the grape—it’s water. And behind the stable, sustainable flow of this vital resource lies one of Europe’s most ambitious hydraulic infrastructures: the Canal de Provence. Operational since the late 1960s, this 5,800-kilometer network of pipelines,
In just six short years, the Champagne house EPC has evolved from an ambitious newcomer into one of the region’s most talked-about names. Founded in 2019, the brand has captivated sommeliers, collectors, and international markets with its daring, terroir-driven approach. Now, EPC enters a dramatic new phase in its ascent: the acquisition of the respected maison Charles Mignon in Épernay. This strategic move is far more than a real estate
The Champagne world is no stranger to spectacle, but few could have anticipated the judicial drama that unfolded in Reims, where the respected name of the region was dragged into scandal. At the center of the storm: Didier Chopin, a vigneron now facing the full weight of French justice for orchestrating an elaborate and fraudulent sparkling wine operation. On Wednesday, the Reims criminal court heard damning charges against Chopin, who
A flicker of candlelight illuminates frosty rows of vines at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) on an early April dawn. These flames – lit by vignerons in 2021 to ward off a spring frost – are a vivid testament to the unwavering devotion that has defined this estate for centuries. For over a thousand years, this hallowed ground in Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy has been revered for producing wines of unparalleled grace
Nestled in the southwest of France, the historic Gaillac wine region—one of the country’s oldest appellations—is facing a mounting challenge in 2025. Over the past three months, a relentless series of heavy storms, excessive rainfall, and sporadic hail have battered the vineyards from the Cordais plateau to the plains of Lisle-sur-Tarn. And now, the first signs of downy mildew are emerging, threatening to overshadow a promising vintage with disease pressure as persistent as the rain.
In the elegant dance between nature and winemaking, the vineyard is the stage where tradition meets technology, and where ecological idealism often grapples with agricultural reality. In recent years, biocontrol—the use of natural organisms or substances to combat vine diseases and pests—has been heralded as a cornerstone of sustainable viticulture. But in 2025, the story is shifting. Faced with economic pressures and unpredictable weather patterns, many French winegrowers are scaling back or abandoning biocontrol
In the world of fine wine, where provenance and precision shape every vintage, a quiet revolution is taking place—not in the winery, nor even in the vineyard, but beneath our very feet. Deep in the soils of Bordeaux, Starfish Bioscience, a cutting-edge startup, is mapping an invisible universe that could redefine the way we think about terroir, sustainability, and the future of viticulture. Their tool? Not a shovel or a plow,
In the gilded world of Champagne, where prestige, tradition, and terroir reign supreme, few tales are as staggering—or as unsettling—as that of Didier Chopin. Once a name that appeared on bottles poured at French supermarkets and weddings, Chopin now stands accused of orchestrating one of the most audacious wine frauds in recent French memory. This week, he appeared before the criminal court in Reims, the symbolic heart of Champagne, to