Corsican winegrowers are facing a tough start to the 2025 season. Over 300 mm of rain since January has triggered early outbreaks of downy mildew, black rot, and botrytis. Some vineyards are still too wet for tractors, limiting disease control. Downy mildew appeared on nielluccio as early as April 14—weeks ahead of normal. Grenache and carignan are also showing signs of mildew and powdery mildew. Botrytis has even affected shoots,
French digital marketplace iDealwine ended 2024 with revenue of €53.2 million (ex-VAT), a 6 percent rise that marks its best year yet. The auction arm led the charge, jumping 15 percent to €39.1 million on the back of 261,465 bottles traded—an 18 percent volume increase despite a softer secondary-market backdrop. Average hammer prices eased slightly to €149 per bottle, but Burgundy held firm at €250. The year’s top lot was
Since 2020, the Schmit family’s GFR Vallibus has been planting organic Pinot Meunier on land around Bouvancourt that’s only zoned for juice, not Champagne. They’re making “vins de France” under Europe’s planting quotas and Champagne’s strict rules. They asked to plant a much larger plot but received only a tiny allowance. Courts ruled these small vineyards posed no threat to Champagne’s prestige, and the case has now returned to a higher tribunal
This spring, Maison Henriot simplifies its entire range with a single, fully recyclable lineup: Héméra now ships in unvarnished wooden crates, while all other cuvées come in ink‑free kraft boxes. Labels and caps have been slimmed down, doing away with gilding and plastic shields to cut waste and reflect the estate’s terroir. Henriot revives its 1880s “Blanc Souverain” name for the Blanc de Blancs—alongside Brut Souverain—each blending premier and grand crus (12
Maison Albert Bichot has bottled a limited‑edition Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay born of an extreme transatlantic voyage. The Burgundy producer, keen to shrink its carbon footprint, first teamed up with ocean‑science NGO Tara Océan in 2017, then partnered with sail‑cargo specialist Grain de Sail. On 18 January a Grain de Sail schooner left Saint‑Malo carrying two 228‑litre barrels of 2024 “Secret de Famille” Chardonnay strapped to the bow—completely exposed. Seventy‑three days later, on 31 March, the ship returned from New York after pitching through storms,
As Bordeaux wraps its 2024 primeurs week, buyers are calling for a hefty 31 percent price cut to reignite demand for en primeur releases. After a 19 percent average reduction last spring, négociants and merchants warn that only sharper discounts will restore the classic quality‑to‑price balance and free up working capital. The push for steeper rebates comes from some 50 leading fine‑wine traders surveyed during tastings of the new vintage. They argue
Côtes‑du‑Rhône Villages Signargues—a dynamic appellation founded in 2004—is campaigning for full cru recognition after Laudun’s elevation in late 2024. Covering some 1,700 ha across Domazan, Estézargues, Rochefort‑du‑Gard and Saze, this right‑bank enclave boasts a clay subsoil capped with rolled pebbles that retain moisture and stress vines to produce thick‑skinned, tannin‑rich grapes with natural freshness. Signargues benefits from an exceptionally early harvest—often two weeks ahead of neighboring villages—and roughly 200 days of Mistral
The Graves AOC has approved a major overhaul of its specifications to bolster its market appeal. From the 2026 vintage onward, every bottle—red, white or sweet—must carry the collective identifier “Graves Grand Vin de Bordeaux” on its primary label. Meanwhile, the “Graves Supérieures” designation for residual‑sugar whites will be retired after the 2028 harvest. These measures, formalized in a decree published March 6, are designed to simplify the appellation’s lineup and
On April 18, 1855, Bordeaux’s Chambre de Commerce unveiled a rapid-fire ranking of 87 Médoc and Sauternes estates for the Paris Universal Exposition. Built on courtier‐reported market prices rather than blind tastings, the list distinguished five crus for Médoc and a hierarchy from Premier Cru Supérieur to Deuxième Cru for Sauternes and Barsac. Though not the first wine hierarchy—earlier parish‐based pricing (1755) and Thomas Jefferson’s 1787 “first growth” notes predated it—the 1855 list
Maison Dourthe will entrust its overall management to Pénélope Godefroy beginning in May, marking the end of the two‑headed leadership that succeeded founder Patrick Jestin’s 2022 retirement. Godefroy brings comprehensive credentials—an agronomy and oenology degree from Institut Agro Montpellier, an MBA from Kedge Business School, and years of experience at Artemis Domaines. She is charged with driving Dourthe’s development plan forward: widening distribution, enhancing brand prestige, and elevating key labels such
Facing ongoing downward pressure on appellation wine values, Inter Rhône has secured EU approval to publish non‑binding price guidelines for certified organic (AB) and High Environmental Value (HVE) wines beginning with the 2025 vintage. The move leverages a “sustainable agreement” framework championed by Cooperating Winegrowers in Brussels, allowing the sector to communicate reference prices capped at production cost plus 20%. Philippe Pellaton, president of Inter Rhône, cites recent mercuriale data showing
At Saint‑Drézéry in the Hérault, Domaine Puech‑Haut has handed the operational reins to industry veteran Arnaud Demongeot, ushering in a fresh but respectful era alongside founder Gérard Bru. Rather than upend tradition, Demongeot aims to clarify the estate’s story and reinforce its Pic Saint‑Loup identity. His first move: segment the range to protect flagship cuvées like Argali and Têtes de Bélier from supermarket channels. Only Argali will remain in both grocery and specialist outlets. Meanwhile, the
On April 11, Baghera/wines held its 10th quarterly “Kipling” sale—dedicated to the finest grands crus—and confirmed its standing among top-tier wine auctioneers. Of the 288 lots offered, 254 found buyers, generating a total of €978,600 with an impressive 88.2 % sell‑through rate. The standout lot was six bottles of Mouton Rothschild 1961, hammering at €23,509—nearly €4,000 a bottle—well above pre-sale estimates and underlining the vintage’s legendary status. Other marquee results included six
Following the Conseil d’État’s validation of the new AOP Sable de Camargue, producers under the IGP Bouches‑du‑Rhône Terre de Camargue are relaunching their bid for a fully independent IGP. Their goal: secure robust legal protection for their white, red and rosé wines, currently sheltered only by a lesser “complementary geographic designation.” The AOP Sable de Camargue—spanning 3,000 ha of sandy vineyards across 14 communes in Hérault, Gard and Bouches‑du‑Rhône—was confirmed at the highest administrative level
Château Brane‑Cantenac, Margaux’s second Grand Cru Classé of 1855, has synchronized the 2024 primeurs launch with the unveiling of a thoroughly modernized vinification and ageing facility. Proprietor Henri Lurton has invested heavily since April 2023 to replace his 19th‑century concrete cuvier with Seguin Moreau oak vats and to retrofit his historic barrel cellar with state‑of‑the‑art climate controls. 100 % wood, zero pumpingInspired by the R’Pulse remontage system—which, since 2019, has enhanced juice extraction while preserving
On April 20, the Centre Hospitalier de Tonnerre will stage the very first auction of “Vins des Hospices de Tonnerre” as part of Salon des Vins 2025 – Les Vinées Tonnerroises. Proceeds will fuel the restoration and ongoing preservation of the 13th‑century Hôtel‑Dieu, founded in 1293 by Marguerite de Bourgogne and regarded as one of Europe’s largest medieval hospices. Thanks to generous donations from vineyards in Tonnerre, Épineuil, Chablis and across the