Wines made from Plavac mali grapes

After a two-year hiatus imposed by the global pandemic, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) is hosting its 43rd annual congress this week in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. There is a sense of celebration among participants, but the joy of sitting around the same table again is clouded by urgency and worry as the industry faces significant challenges. The congress, a key event in the wine industry’s calendar, brings together a unique mix of stakeholders, including producers, ...

Both Mouton and Margaux 2021 were released en primeur at €420 per bottle ex-Bordeaux, down 2.8% on the 2020-vintage debut last year, according to Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade. While the market dynamics vary between these two First Growths, their 2021 grands vins were being sold en primeur as the cheapest of the last four vintages – below current prices on 2018, 2019 and 2020. Merchants were offering Mouton 2021 and Margaux 2021 at £5,100 (12x75cl in bond). Initial signs suggested t ...

An alcohol duty freeze due to end on 1 February has been extended for six months, until 1 August, the UK government announced this week. There has been uncertainty about the policy in recent weeks, but trade members had warned that going ahead with plans to allow alcohol duty to rise with inflation in February could have dire consequences for businesses already dealing with multiple cost pressures. ‘If duty rates went up by RPI [retail price index] on 1 February, this would have been a crippling ...