Contract grape prices in Rioja are causing worry in the region with some growers being offered 40 cents ($0.45) per kilo – a figure that, one prominent Rioja Alta winery reportedly said, would not cover the cost of pruning.

According to local Rioja news outlet Nuevecuatrouno.com, some wineries were offering prices of “52 or 55 cents per kilo of grapes and some cooperatives are trialing 50 cents with a first payment of 15 cents”. Reports of prices of 40 cents per kilo had one unnamed winery up in arms.

The source said: “This is a disaster,… at that price not even the pruning costs are covered. And then there is talk of wanting to make quality wines and for Rioja to recover its value.”

The uproar comes in the midst of the region’s move to distill excess wine stocks (in line with approval from Brussels and similar efforts in Spain and France) and a green harvesting initiate to reduce yields. For more on this see Rioja Glut Prompts Distillation Bid and Extremadura requests crisis distillation in New Rosé Good for the Gut.

Last week it was announced that the Rioja region would receive €15 million ($167m) in aid for the wine sector this year with a further €17 million available in 2024.

In the largest ever genetic analysis of grapevine varieties, including samples from previously undocumented specimens in private collections, researchers provide new insights into how, when, and where wine and table grapevines were domesticated, which has been a longstanding question. “This work represents a major international collaborative effort, challenging to do in any circumstances but especially so given that we conducted it during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns,” said author Wei Chen, who will also participate in an embargoed briefing on this study this week.

Even though wine and grapes are very important culturally, when wine and table grapevines were domesticated, and where, has been difficult to confirm. This is largely because there haven’t been sufficiently wide genetic sequencing analyses on grapevine varieties. As a result, there are several standing hypotheses in the literature that remain uncertain. For example, researchers have thought the cultivated wine grapevine (Vitis vinifera) had a single domestication in Western Asia, from which all wine varieties stemmed, and that it happened before the advent of agriculture. They’ve also thought wine grapevines were cultivated before table grape grapevines. Now, a study by Yang Dong and colleagues pushes back on both ideas. Based on vast grapevine genetic data studied, their report shows there were two domestication events for the cultivated wine grapevine in two distinct places – Western Asia and the Caucasus region – separated during the last glacial advance. “Despite being separated by over 1000 [kilometers], the two domestication processes appear to have occurred contemporaneously with a high degree of shared signatures of selection on the same genes,” writes Robin Allaby in a related Perspective. What’s more, they showed that these domestication events took place 11,000 years ago – in line with the advent of farming, and about 4,000 years later than some studies have shown. The genetic data also suggest that wine and table grapes were cultivated at the same time – not the wine grapevine first. The authors also identify some genes involved in domesticating grapes – improving flavor and color and texture – that could help winemakers improve wine today and make varieties more resilient to climate change and other stresses. Among their findings, they uncover more about the genetics underlying white grape color, and the ancient muscat flavor; at least one allele underlying muscat flavor may be detrimental to plant health, they say.

To do this work, Dong and colleagues generated a high-quality chromosome level reference genome of wild grapevine progenitor Vitis sylvestris. They then re-sequenced more than 3,000 individual grapevine plant samples collected from wide geographic locations – including from wild locations and from private collections. “Our collaborators reached out to their connections and looked for old and local varieties,” said Chen. “For instance, a lot of the Armenia [samples] from old vineyards turned out to be undocumented varieties.” The multimedia related to this paper includes videos from several international collaborators reflecting on the study’s process and significance.

From 19 January to 23 February 2023 Vinitaly the main trade fair in the world for Italian wine production will promote itself travelling to 9 countries (12 cities, 13 stages in 3 continents: Europe, Asia and North America) which together cover two-thirds of Italy’s total wine exports.

The first stage is scheduled on 19 January in Rust (Austria) followed by Princeton (USA) on 23 January, New York (USA) 24-25 January, and Copenhagen (Denmark) also on 24 January. The calendar for February includes appointments in Chicago (USA, 2 February), Munich (Germany, 6 February), Brussels (Belgium, 7 February), Zurich (Switzerland, 8 February), London (UK, 8 February) and Cardiff (UK, 9 February). The month closes with appointments in Tokyo (Japan, 21 February) and Seoul (South Korea, 23 February), again in collaboration with institutions, the ICE-Trade Agency and the chamber of commerce system.

The 9 countries selected by Vinitaly for promotional missions cover two-thirds of the value and volume of Italian wine exports in 2022 (cumulative data as of September). According to the Uiv-Vinitaly Observatory, more than 10.5 million hectolitres were shipped (-2% compared to the corresponding period 2021), worth 3.8 billion euros (+10%). In terms of value, the USA is the leading market for Italian wine (1.4 billion euros, again in September 2022, with a 25% share of total wine sector turnover in the world), followed by Germany (851 million euros, 6% and a 15% share) and the UK (10% share, 581 million euro, with 15% growth). These three markets combined represent half the total value/volume of Italian wine exported worldwide. In general, between sparkling, semi-sparkling and bottled still wines, the latter still take the lion’s share of the 9 markets: values above 70% of the share by volume were posted in Germany, Korea, Japan and Switzerland, with a peak of 90% in Denmark. Sparkling wine gained ground over still wines in the USA (33% against 60%), but above all in the UK (43% against 55%), Belgium (38% against 59%) and Austria (31% against 46%). The highest percentages for semi-sparkling wines were posted in Austria (23% of total) and Germany (15%). On adding up the values for these 9 markets, the Observatory indicates that still wines cover 64% of export volumes, sparkling wines 28% and the rest (8%) for semi-sparkling wines.

The 55th Vinitaly (scheduled at Veronafiere 2-5 April 2023) will combine the international incoming project with a homeland tour of the main Italian wine producing companies – promises to be even more strategic in terms of business, especially through innovations linked to direct company-buyer B2B meetings, as well as an enhanced “Taste and Buy” event, with operators identified by Veronafiere’s international network of delegates in collaboration with companies. Special emphasis is also given to the digital format of the “Vinitaly Plus” platform to consolidate business relationships throughout the year; it also provides a personal agenda for meetings between buyers and producers during the event itself.

2022 ended in  sorrow for Italian wine industry with the death, at 91 years of age, of Francesca Colombini Cinelli, the celebrated “Lady of Brunello” in Montalcino.

After the death of her father Giovanni in 1976, she took the reins as director of her family’s historic Fattoria dei Barbi winery and farm in Montalcino. Under her leadership, the property became one of the first major Italian producers of fine wines to ship their wines beyond Italy’s borders. She envisioned an international future for Sangiovese Grosso (Montalcino’s specific varietal). She guided her family’s estate through a major shift in how Tuscan wine was produced and how it was perceived throughout the world. Under her leadership, the property became one of the first major Italian producers of fine wines to ship their wines beyond Italy’s borders.

2023 started with another heavy loss; this time one of the Langhe ambassadors: Luciano Sandrone, who passed away at the age of 76, in recent days. Sandrone’s Barolos, from the Cru Le Vigne to the Cannubi Boschis and Aleste, have achieved top-level success in global fine wine appreciation. Luciano Sandrone’s wine adventure began in 1970s as a true “garagiste”, growing in quality, reputation and sales success ever since.

Known to wine enthusiasts for one of the world’s best known annual wine fairs, Vinitaly, Verona is about to host a multi-functional wine museum and visitor centre that promises to rival similar enterprises in Bordeaux and Porto.

The Museo del Vino (MuVin) project was exposed at Vinitaly 2022, with the endorsement of Italian tourism minister Massimo Garavaglia, Roberta Garibaldi of Italy’s national tourism agency, and Prof Diego Begalli, director of the department of business economics at the University of Verona and Enrico Corsi of Veneto’s Regional Council, who promoted and developed the idea behind the project.

MuVin project is an ambitious €50 million museum, visitor and exhibition centre that will be suitably positioned in Verona’s Gallerie Mercatali. The site is just opposite the city’s exhibition quarter, which is active all year long offering tradeshows, including Vinitaly itself.

Corsi affirmed that: ‘Clearly the museum will rely on the huge number of people who already visit the area, including some 32 million tourists who go to Lake Garda every year, as well as 3.8 million who visit Verona, plus everything else happening in the region. Needless to say, Verona’s numerous exhibitions will benefit us with additional visitors too. This will be Italy’s largest museum dedicated to wine, it will be the country’s main hub for enotourism and will also have an international scope.’

The Gallerie Mercatali, once home to Verona’s horticultural market, cover a land area of nearly 20,000sqm. MuVin’s museum area itself will cover about 5,400sqm, with the remaining surface dedicated to complimentary activities. Indeed, MuVin will also feature an experiential “path” of nearly 5,800sqm that will take visitors on a journey of discovery, touching on themes such as the history of wine, viticulture, wine production, the impact of climate change on winegrowing, and wine and food pairing.

The structure is going to offer educational activities too, with wine lovers welcomed to learn wine tasting techniques as well as conduct virtual visits to wineries and UNESCO heritage vineyards in augmented reality rooms.

The MuVin complex will host temporary exhibitions showcasing both Italian and international wines in addition to cultural initiatives – all with a wine angle – such as contemporary art, music, literature and cinema.

‘There will also be a wine and food market, eateries (a concept pioneered by the Eataly business model), a large wine cellar, a conference centre, and a wine auction room,’ added Corsi, ‘as well as a WebTV, and room to showcase other important Italian products that wine enthusiast love, such as vinegar, spirits and olive oil.’

A MuVin Foundation will be responsible for supervising the project’s development and will be eventually in charge of managing the museum. ‘The Foundation will officially kick off the project. It has attracted the interest of several local councils, trade bodies, consortiums, businesses, wineries, which will all be welcomed to join in,’ said Corsi. ‘We expect MuVin to be ready by 2026, when Northern Italy will host the next Winter Olympics Milano-Cortina.’

After a nine-month police pursuit across Europe, a former Mexican beauty queen and ‘Miss Earth’ competitor has been arrested over the now-infamous €1.6 million theft of wine bottles from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain.

When a ‘couple’ operated a meticulously planned wine robbery last year, stealing 45 bottles of wine including an 1806 Château d’Yquem from Atrio, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain, police said it had all the trademarks of professional job.

Spanish officials said the theft had been calculated with “millimetric” detail. It was revealed that the ‘couple’ had visited the restaurant three times to plan the theft before undertaking the robbery.

According to El Pais, one of those arrested is a 29-year-old Mexican beauty queen who competed in pageants in her home country. Her accomplice is described as a 47-year-old “Romanian-Dutch” male. It is believed that the 29-year-old woman checked into the hotel using a false Swiss passport before being joined by her accomplice.

The couple dined in the restaurant before requesting a tour of the wine cellar.

The woman later distracted a member of staff by requesting more food after the kitchen had closed, while the man made his way to the wine cellar, used a master key to enter, and made off with three backpacks full of highly valuable wine.

The names of the pair have not been released by police and the wine has still not been recovered, according to Atrio’s sommelier and co-owner, José Polo.

“That bottle was part of my personal history, almost part of me, of the history of Atrio, but also of Caceres, of its citizens, of wine lovers all over the world,” Polo said in a statement to local media, referring to the stolen 1806 Château d’Yquem.

The pair exited the hotel at 5.30am the following, leaving no forensic evidence of their visit to the hotel. They left Spain a few days later, and were pursued across Europe by police until they were identified by Croatian border guards as they attempted to cross from Montenegro.

The investigation remains open.

Wildfires continue in the Gironde region near the southwestern French city of Bordeaux, destroying some 7,300 hectares of forest in four days, with firefighters still unable to stop the blazes. Firemen fighting the two forest blazes which have been raging in the Gironde region say the situation remains extremely difficult. One thousand men and nine water-bombing aircraft are involved in the struggle to contain the twin fires. In the forest known as Teste-de-Buch, near Arcachon, several dwelling and restaurants have been destroyed. In the Landiras region, south of the city of Bordeaux, 4,200 hectares of forest have already been lost and 480 people had to be evacuated during the night. In total, nearly 11,000 people, most of them holiday makers in campsites, have had to flee the two regions of Arcachon and Landiras since the beginning of the crisis earlier this week. Tourist attraction the Dune de Pilat, Europe’s highest sand dune, was closed to visitors after several thousands were evacuated from local campsites this week.

Thai Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), Koelnmesse (KM) Germany, announced the success of the THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2022 “Hybrid Edition” grandly held this year both on the ground and online between 24-28 May 2022.

This Asia’s largest F&B event welcomed an unprecedented number of buyers and importers since the COVID-19 pandemic period traveling from many countries around the world, bringing in over 68,851 million baht and substantially exceeding the targeted trade order value of 10 billion baht. The trade show also helps reaffirm the potential of Thailand as the global hub for quality agricultural products and food, in response to the “Thai food” to “The World’s Food” policy of Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce.

Mr. Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General of Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), revealed that this great achievement of THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2022 stems from the fruitful collaboration between public and private sectors, namely, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) Koelnmesse (KM) Germany. The success of this event has proven that the Thai food and beverage industry is in high demand in the global market and gaining trust for its food safety standards.

Vinitaly is back in 2022, after a two-year break due to Covid pandemics. In fact, the most awaited event for business and promotion of the Italian wine sector was hosted in Verona on the last 10-13th April.

According to organiser Veronafiere, the 54th edition of this international exhibition of wines and spirits presented itself with a sold-out exhibition area.

Vinitaly 2022 in numbers:

• 4,400 companies from 19 countries
• over 30 conferences and 76 super-tastings scheduled
• an integrated system with VinitalyPlus online b2b platform, with over 17,000 labels uploaded in digital format by producers.
• 700 top foreign buyers of Italian wine coming from 50 countries subscribed
• 50 operators profiled in demand at their debut in Verona and part of a new ad hoc incoming project (collaboration between Veronafiere and 30 exhibiting companies)

Attention to global and local production and sales constraints was discussed during the inaugural conference “Vinitaly Restart”, which was attended by Italian institutional representatives. There, Maurizio Danese, president of Veronafiere, underlined that: “After the pandemic, Italian wine is in the midst of the whirlwind of cost increases which risk impacting 1.3 billion euros in additional costs, causing market shares to be lost in favour of producer countries in the new world and in Europe, less exposed to the energy crisis. This is a particularly delicate and strategic theme which will be at the centre of the Vinitaly days and which, consequently, will also impose new criteria for selecting markets and high potential buyers “.

More news on Vinitaly 2022 to come.

Vinitaly International Academy, the educational arm of the Verona show which aims to showcase the breath and diversity of the Italian peninsula, is launching a brand new focus in the UK.

Through funding from the Italian Trade Commission, buyers and members of the press will be supported to visit the Verona show, with packages available to cover entry, travel and accommodation for 2022.

This is just one facet of the planned work. The academy also aims to place more focus on Italian wines, which – despite their popularity – remain largely undervalued in the UK.

“Though Italy has been successful in the UK to a point, the wines carry a considerably lower price point than France,” Sarah Abbott MW told Harpers.

“We just don’t have the same level of awareness and expertise in Italy despite fact there are many specialists bringing in fantastic wines. The UK academy has been set up to address this. If there’s one country where it really helps to know the detail, it’s Italy.”

Italy had found huge favour within the UK market, its top export market by volume. By value, however, Italy falls by the wayside. Average price for Italian wines in the UK sat at £5.81 for the past 12 months, behind French wine at £8.06, and also the USA, Spain, New Zealand and Argentina (WSTA figures, average RRP based on price per litre).

The Vinitaly International Academy was launched to convey “the value and diversity of Italian wine” to international markets by fostering a global network of professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts. It organises Wine Expert and Wine Ambassador training courses every year in several countries, with the USA being a key market. The UK academy will officially launch in September, with funding packages available for those looking to visit this year’s show, running in Verona from 10 to 13 April.