Vancouver Island is emerging as a significant wine region in Canada, gaining recognition after Jackson Family Wines invested by purchasing Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley. The region experiences cool-climate viticulture, distinct from the rain shadow of the Okanagan Valley, often receiving rainfall during the growing season. Recently, I had the opportunity to taste a… Read More »
Liv-ex, a global marketplace for wine trading, has recently reported that the confidence in the Burgundy wine market is at historically low levels. Despite ongoing trading activity, buyers are exhibiting risk-averse behavior, purchasing fewer cases at lower prices. However, the report indicates that there are early signs of sentiment beginning to stabilize, potentially leading to… Read More »
As part of the Wynn Signature Chinese wine awards 2025, a seminar was held focusing on Château Pavie, featuring Jane Anson and João Pires. Jane Anson shared her thoughts on Château Pavie, situated in Saint-Émilion, noting the estate’s strong connection to its terroir, which she described as key to understanding the wine. Anson highlighted the… Read More »
Liv-ex, a global marketplace for wine trading, has reported that the confidence in the Burgundy wine market remains low. Buyers are being cautious, purchasing fewer cases and opting for lower prices. While the market sentiment shows signs of stabilizing, it is still concerning, with the Burgundy 150 index dropping around 30% over the past two… Read More »
Déjà-bu: Bordeaux 2020—the Wines The Bordeaux 2020 vintage has garnered significant attention following its promising performance at the en primeur stage. In this review, we assess how these wines have developed in the bottle, providing detailed tasting notes for over 100 of the region’s foremost wines. Highlights from the Bordeaux 2020 Tasting Château Calon Ségur… Read More »
This month’s Market Watch in Decanter magazine provides an update on the secondary market for prestige Champagne, a sector that has faced fluctuations in pricing since the peak of its boom over two years ago. Following a significant surge in value experienced during the fine wine market’s boom, prices for prestige Champagne have generally fallen… Read More »
Constellation Brands is reportedly considering selling its entire wine portfolio, following a significant slump in sales. The company, based in New York and owner of over 100 brands—including well-known names like Robert Mondavi and Meiomi—has encountered difficulties in its wine division in recent years. Recent reports indicate that wine sales fell by 14% year-on-year during… Read More »
Straight from Macau, where I recently spent five days judging at the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards 2025, I had the opportunity to watch the documentary Waking the Sleeping Grape. This film explores the remarkable rise of the Chinese wine industry, featuring interviews with prominent figures both from within China and internationally. Directed by Shanghai… Read More »
Simon Field MW recently visited Hungary to taste the new releases from Royal Tokaji, particularly the 2018 vintage, which is significant as it marks the first time since 2008 that the producer has released all five of its esteemed single-vineyard wines. This vintage, named "Royal Flush," is made up of four first-growths and one second-growth… Read More »
Julien Boulard, a Master of Wine based in China, recently held a seminar dedicated to Marselan, a grape variety he has researched extensively during his 15 years of conducting masterclasses in Chinese. Having lived in China for over two decades and visited more than 100 wineries, Boulard emphasized the significance of Marselan as a key… Read More »