Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I spend each week exploring the internet for everything published about wine online, and here’s all the stuff that I think would be worth your valuable time.
The Science Behind Disease-Resistant Wine Grapes
PIWIs to the rescue?
From Lucerne to Ljubljana, these local wine importers bring Europe to Sacramento
Importing off the beaten path, with Sacramento as a home base.
What I Learned at a Conference on Drinking
Felicity Carter is always taking one for the team. But this one sort of sounded interesting.
The Bald Range Fire through one B.C. winery’s eyes
Sean Sullivan talks with Ron Kubek.
Turning the Tables on Nicole MacKay
A bit of background on the managing editor of Wine Folly.
The Main Influencer of the US Wine Industry
Someone decides to take a critical look at The Wine Institute.
Santorini 2026: Harvest could fall by another 30% as growers and wineries move towards self-regulation
This is pretty tragic.
Trump tariffs hit US wine imports
Not that we needed much analysis to prove that they reduced imports.
The “Wine Crisis” is a Crisis of Discovery: A White Paper
Jason Wilson and Caroline Lamb make the case for “Wines of Discovery.”
How Have We Lived So Long Without Portuguese Bubbles?
Bubbly Baga is the next next big thing?
Pierce’s Disease Is Knocking at Europe’s Door
Could be a real problem.
Off the Coast of Sicily, Divers Discovered a Roman-Era Shipwreck With Hundreds of Amphorae, Ancient Jars Frequently Used to Hold Wine
Everyone loves a shipwreck.
Why Does This Wine Cost More Than 10,000 Euro?
Well, for starters, it’s from the 1811 vintage…
Fruits of her labor: Katie Husher learned winemaking from the ground up
Former SW engineer turned winemaker.
Facts Only
* Disease-resistant wine grapes, known as PIWIs, are under scientific study.
* Wine importers in Sacramento source products from Lucerne and Ljubljana.
* Felicity Carter attended a conference regarding drinking.
* Ron Kubek provided an account of the Bald Range Fire's impact on a British Columbia winery.
* Nicole MacKay serves as the managing editor of Wine Folly.
* The Wine Institute is a subject of critical analysis regarding its influence on the US wine industry.
* Harvests in Santorini may decrease by 30% by 2026 due to grower and winery self-regulation.
* US wine imports have been reduced by Trump tariffs.
* Jason Wilson and Caroline Lamb authored a white paper on "Wines of Discovery."
* Baga is a Portuguese grape variety used for sparkling wines.
* Pierce’s Disease is present in Europe.
* Divers discovered a Roman-era shipwreck containing wine amphorae off the coast of Sicily.
* A wine from the 1811 vintage is valued at over 10,000 Euro.
* Katie Husher transitioned from software engineering to winemaking.
Executive Summary
The global wine industry is currently navigating a confluence of ecological, economic, and regulatory pressures. Environmental threats are prominent, ranging from the spread of Pierce’s Disease in Europe to the impact of the Bald Range Fire in British Columbia. In Santorini, a projected 30% harvest decline by 2026 is linked to a shift toward self-regulation among producers. Simultaneously, the industry is exploring scientific adaptations, such as the development of disease-resistant PIWI grapes, and identifying new market opportunities in Portuguese sparkling wines and "Wines of Discovery."
Economic factors are heavily influencing trade and valuation. Trump-era tariffs have demonstrably reduced US wine imports, while the luxury market continues to see extreme valuations for historical vintages, such as those from 1811. The sector is also seeing a diversification of professional backgrounds, evidenced by technicians transitioning into viticulture. These developments occur against a backdrop of institutional scrutiny, specifically regarding the influence of The Wine Institute on the American market.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative presents a comprehensive snapshot of a traditional industry in a state of volatile transition, balancing ancient heritage—symbolized by Roman shipwrecks—with modern scientific and political crises.
This content functions as a curated digest. It employs a pattern of rapid-fire juxtaposition, placing a tragedy in Santorini next to a luxury bottle's price tag, and a biological threat in Europe next to a human-interest story about a software engineer. This creates a mosaic effect that suggests a holistic overview of the industry while avoiding the need to synthesize these disparate events into a single, cohesive argument.
Patterns detected: none
The driving paradigm is one of "industry disruption." There is an unstated assumption that the wine world is moving away from established norms—whether through new grape varieties, new import routes, or new professional demographics. This echoes a broader historical pattern where luxury commodities must pivot toward sustainability and "discovery" to survive systemic shocks (climate change, trade wars, and disease).
The second-order consequence is the democratization of wine knowledge; the move from institutional influence (The Wine Institute) toward individual "discovery" and non-traditional expertise. This shifts agency from the regulator to the curator and the consumer.
If this were a coordinated influence campaign, the playbook would involve "Fragility Framing"—highlighting various crises (fire, disease, tariffs, crop failure) to create a sense of urgency and instability, thereby making the reader more receptive to a specific "savior" solution or new investment vehicle. The actual content does not match this; it is a diverse collection of interests without a singular, pushed conclusion.
What happens to the cultural identity of a wine region when it must switch to lab-engineered PIWI grapes to survive? Does the "crisis of discovery" stem from a lack of product, or a failure of traditional marketing? Who truly benefits from the self-regulation of harvests in Santorini?