California’s 2025 wine vintage is shaping up to be high in quality but historically low in volume, with industry leaders warning that the state may record its smallest grape harvest in more than half a century.

The season has been cool and dry, producing excellent fruit across many regions. Yet an oversupply of unsold wine and high farming costs mean swathes of vineyards may go unharvested. Allied Grape Growers president Jeff Bitter has suggested yields could fall below 2m tons, a level not seen since 1972, despite California having far more vines in the ground.

Growers like Tom Sinton of Starfield Vineyards are deliberately dropping fruit to cut costs, while others are stepping back entirely. For consumers, however, the crisis could mean only the best grapes are turned into wine. “The quality so far has been exceptional,” said Martha Barra of Barra of Mendocino.

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The fine wine market is in the midst of its toughest spell for over a decade, with the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Index down 4.9% this year and 26.6% below its 2022 peak. Prices have slipped beneath 2018 levels, prompting fears of a prolonged reset.

The slowdown mirrors the downturn after 2011, when Chinese buyers withdrew. This time, it is US demand that has waned, with tariffs and economic concerns discouraging collectors.

Wine merchants remain cautious, holding off on restocking until clear signs of recovery emerge, as shown by Liv-ex’s low bid-to-offer ratio of 0.15, similar to 2008 crisis levels.

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One of Bordeaux’s most prestigious estates, Château Lafleur, has stunned the wine world by announcing its departure from the Pomerol appellation. From the 2025 vintage, Lafleur will be labelled Vin de France, breaking nearly 90 years of tradition.

At around £650 a bottle, Lafleur is among the most prized wines of Bordeaux, sitting beside Petrus in both price and prestige. The Guinaudeau family, owners of the estate, said their decision was driven by Pomerol’s restrictions on irrigation, a practice they believe is essential in adapting to hotter, drier summers. Social media lit up when the news broke, forcing the family to issue a detailed statement explaining their stance.

Their move has opened debate across Bordeaux, with leading neighbours including Christian Moueix of Petrus acknowledging the urgent need to address irrigation rules. For many, Lafleur’s bold step signals a growing clash between tradition and climate change realities.

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F1 has partnered with French Bloom, Moët Hennessy’s non-alcoholic sparkling brand, while Nyetimber has become the first English fizz to sponsor England Rugby.

French Bloom, founded in 2019 and now part-owned by LVMH, will be poured across F1 hospitality suites worldwide, offering guests a luxury alcohol-free option. Its wines, made from Limoux grapes and produced via a Cognac-inspired dealcoholisation process, are already served in Michelin-starred restaurants.

Meanwhile, Nyetimber replaces Bollinger as England Rugby’s official sparkling wine, ending a 24-year French association. The Sussex-based producer will be served at Twickenham's Allianz stadium and awarded to players of the match, with CEO Eric Heerema calling the move “a proud moment.”

Together, these announcements highlight the growing influence of both alcohol-free wine and English sparkling wine on the global sporting stage.
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Producers in Portugal’s Tejo region can now label wines with just 0.5% alcohol as PGI, following new rules approved by the Tejo General Council and IVV (Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho I.P.).

The updated regulations lower the minimum abv for IG level wines from 9% to 7.5%, while maintaining 10.5% for standard reds, whites and rosés. Critically, winemakers may now partially dealcoholise wines and still achieve PGI certification, provided the final product contains at least 0.5% alcohol.

Luis de Castro, president of CVR Tejo, sees this as a major opportunity for the UK market. “Tejo’s diversity and cooler climate make it ideal for lighter styles,” he said. “We can now offer a range of exciting new wines that meet the growing demand for moderation.”

The changes are expected to boost Tejo’s presence in the UK, where interest in low-alcohol wines continues to rise.
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For the first time in its history, the International Wine Challenge (IWC) has awarded the prestigious Champion Sparkling Wine title to an English wine – Nyetimber’s Blanc de Blancs Magnum 2016. The West Sussex winery also bagged the English Sparkling Trophy and the English Blanc de Blancs Trophy, with head winemaker Cherie Spriggs named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year for the second time.

Spriggs called the win a “significant first” for English fizz, saying the Blanc de Blancs has always held a special place as Nyetimber’s original wine.
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