Sherry Week 2025, held 3–9 November, has closed as the most successful edition in its 12-year history, with 4,209 events staged across 27 countries. The UK led the way with 1,846 events - 123% rise on last year, spanning bars, restaurants, and wine schools, showcasing the country’s growing enthusiasm for Spain’s historic fortified wine.

Sherry, produced in southern Spain’s Jerez region, is crafted using the traditional solera system, blending younger and older wines to create complex, age-worthy styles from crisp Fino to rich Pedro Ximénez. Its centuries-old heritage has been rediscovered by a new generation through food pairings, mixology, and cultural events.

Spain hosted 814 events, including over 150 in Jerez itself, with highlights like literary-led Sherry & Books pairings, tastings at the Regulatory Council, and fusion cooking at Bodegas Faustino González. The first-ever Sherry Cocktail Week in Spain showcased innovative mixology from Barcelona to the islands.

In the UK, London’s Sherry Supper Club at Lolo, hosted by José Pizarro and Ben Lippett, treated guests with food-and-wine pairings, while Bar 44 in Bristol, Cardiff tapas nights, and Yorkshire Wine School dinners drew sold-out crowds. Venenciador performances at Camino King’s Cross added theatrical flair, with sherry served directly from a barrel using a long, curved, narrow spout called a venencia.

Sherry Week 2025 underlines the global resurgence of this iconic Spanish wine, marrying centuries of tradition with modern culinary creativity and international celebration.
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The UK wine industry has reacted with concern after Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that alcohol duty will rise with RPI inflation from 1 February 2026, as set out in the official Budget 2025 policy paper. The government says the increase is intended to maintain the “real-terms value” of duty while balancing the economic contribution of alcohol producers with its role in reducing alcohol harm. Small Producer Relief will also be uprated to maintain proportional support for eligible producers.

WineGB expressed disappointment, warning that the rise comes at a time when consumer confidence is fragile and domestic producers face mounting costs. CEO Nicola Bates said another duty increase threatens rural jobs, tourism and investment, adding that wine producers still struggle to access meaningful relief under the current system.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) echoed these concerns. Chief executive Miles Beale called the move “disappointing and shortsighted”, arguing it “will only prolong the economy’s doom loop”. Despite evidence that previous tax rises have reduced revenue, he said the Treasury is “pressing ahead with its ill-founded plan”.

Under today’s duty system, still wine between 8.5% and 22% ABV is taxed at £29.54 per litre of pure alcohol. With the RPI inflation this will rise to about £30.62 per litre. With RPI set at 3.66% duty will go up by 11p on a bottle of Prosecco, 13p on a bottle of red wine and 38p for a bottle of gin from 1 February next year.

Overall, sentiment across the wine trade remains bleak as higher prices and tighter margins loom for 2026.
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Penn Croft Vineyards in Hampshire has become the first English vineyard to earn the Certified Regenerative by A Greener World (AGW) accreditation. The certification verifies genuine environmental and social benefits, offering consumers reassurance amid increasing—but often unverified—regenerative claims.

Part of Penn Croft Farms, the estate has applied regenerative principles for more than 25 years. In 2018, farmer Simon Porter and filmmaker Malcolm Walker established Itasca Wines with the goal of creating a vineyard rooted in soil health and biodiversity. Working with French agronomist Frédéric Thomas, they designed a system that includes wide vine spacing for cover crops, hand planting to protect long-undisturbed soils, and Scott Henry trellising to optimise yields naturally.

The vineyard also uses diverse annual cover crops, rotational sheep grazing and wildflower habitats to support soil life and wildlife. Regular soil and leaf testing help reduce synthetic inputs, while biodiversity corridors reinforce the estate’s “work with nature” approach.

Sustainability carries through to the winery, powered by solar energy and featuring the UK’s first winery-scale wetland system for wastewater treatment.

Porter says the certification proves their long-term commitment to regenerative agriculture. Penn Croft’s Certified Regenerative wines are available online and through select independent retailers, restaurants and hotels, with weekly vineyard and winery tours offered at penncroftvineyards.com.

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The push for lower-alcohol wines is gathering pace, and winemakers now have a promising new tool: special “non-Saccharomyces” yeasts. These naturally occurring yeasts can help create wines with less alcohol while keeping flavour, balance and texture.

Over the last decade, yeast companies have taken a fresh look at wild yeasts such as Lachancea thermotolerans, Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Torulaspora delbrueckii. Unlike the standard wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), these species ferment more slowly and use oxygen differently, which naturally leads to around 1–2% less alcohol in the final wine. They can also produce helpful acids and aroma compounds, improving freshness and character, especially important as warmer climates push grape sugars higher than ever.

Experimental trials have shown just how useful these yeasts can be. Some strains add gentle acidity to boost balance, while others help protect grapes from oxidation or reduce the risk of spoilage. Certain Metschnikowia strains release floral and fruity aromas locked inside the grapes, giving more expressive wines. Others improve colour and mouthfeel by producing natural compounds that add texture.
Most winemakers use these yeasts in “sequential fermentation”: the non-Saccharomyces yeast starts the process, then the usual Saccharomyces yeast finishes the job. It takes more planning, especially with nutrients, but the flavour payoff seems to be worth it.

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Beaujolais Nouveau Day lands on Thursday 20 November, and early signs suggest the 2025 vintage is shaping up well. Despite modest yields, growers have delivered impressively consistent wines, widely considered the best since the celebrated 2022 release.

The 2025 harvest was small, affected by poor flowering and a touch of mildew, with heatwaves further concentrating juice in the berries. But while volumes were limited, quality was in abundance. Earlier ripening allowed producers to fine-tune picking dates, boosting depth and balance. Tasters report far more delicious wines than in 2024, including some genuinely outstanding bottles.

Beaujolais Villages wines, in particular, show ripe fruit, generous sweetness and firm tannins. They may shine even further from spring 2026 than on first release, but they underline the vintage’s strength.
The global market for Beaujolais Nouveau continues to evolve. France remains the biggest consumer, but Japan – one of the style’s strongest supporters – alongside the US and UK, still purchased 3.2 million bottles in 2024.

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Buckfast, the caffeinated fortified wine made by monks in Devon, has recorded its highest-ever UK sales of £62.4m, rising 12% despite a steep 44% duty increase. The much-debated drink continues to find loyal fans across the country.

Buckfast, often simply called “Bucky”, is a sweet, strong tonic wine at 15% abv, containing caffeine and originally created by Benedictine monks at Buckfast Abbey. Despite its controversial reputation in parts of Scotland, where it has been linked to antisocial behaviour, it remains a hugely popular product enjoyed by many consumers.

Distributor J Chandler & Co saw turnover climb from £55.7 million to £62.4 million in the last financial year, while profit after tax eased slightly to £5.1 million. Director Jane Joyce praised the team for navigating the first full year after the large duty rise introduced in 2023.

The drink has long been associated with crime and antisocial behaviour in Scotland. Past investigations found thousands of police reports mentioning Buckfast, some linked to violent offences. However, the abbey insists the wine has been unfairly singled out and that a small minority misuse it. Recent marketing has also aimed to show the tonic’s culinary potential.

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