Maison Pommery has entered exclusive negotiations with German sparkling wine giant Henkell over a potential strategic partnerships that could reshape the European sparkling wine sector.

The two-month exclusivity period comes as Maison Pommery continues discussions with lenders over refinancing its substantial debt burden. If an agreement is reached, Henkell would become the majority shareholder in the French group, creating a major international sparkling wine business with a broad portfolio of brands and global distribution reach.

The proposed deal would unite two family-controlled companies and strengthen their positions across key sparkling wine categories. For Henkell, the transaction would provide greater exposure to Champagne, while Maison Pommery would gain access to an expanded international sales network and additional financial backing.

The announcement follows a strong improvement in Maison Pommery’s profitability during 2025, with net income rising to €32 million. However, the company’s net financial debt remains high at more than €750 million, highlighting the ongoing importance of refinancing efforts.

Maison Pommery stressed that negotiations are still ongoing and there is no guarantee that a final agreement will be reached. The talks are being closely watched in Champagne, where tight financing conditions are fuelling renewed discussion about consolidation within the wine industry.

Henkell Freixenet is the world's largest sparkling wine producer, selling sparkling wines, still wines and spirits in more than 150 countries. The company is owned by the German Oetker family and was created through the combination of Henkell and Freixenet. It is particularly strong in Sekt, Cava, Prosecco, Champagne and Crémant, and claims to serve around one in every ten glasses of sparkling wine consumed globally.

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A growing number of Bordeaux wine producers are turning to the broader Vin de France category as a way to break free from the strict appellation system. This shift is being driven by climate pressure, weak demand and the need for more flexibility in grape varieties, winemaking methods and branding.

Under Bordeaux's AOP rules, producers must follow detailed standards on where grapes are grown, which varieties can be used, yields, vineyard density, and winemaking practices. While these rules protect identity and give consumers a clear idea of what they're buying, they can become too restrictive for some estates. With Vin de France, producers can make wines that wouldn't qualify under one of the area's 67 appellations.

So far, Vin de France accounts for about 2% of Bordeaux production, or roughly 132,000 hectolitres. However, this number is expected to grow as more producers take advantage of the category's flexibility. Some are planting heat-resistant grapes and making wines that don't fit local expectations as they experiment with new styles.

The financial argument is also important, with lower levies under Vin de France making a meaningful difference in a difficult market. The gap between AOP Bordeaux and Vin de France rates is significant, with AOP Bordeaux currently standing at €4.72 per hectolitre for the 2024-2026 period, compared to €0.50 per hectolitre for Vin de France.

Interestingly, Vin de France wines are also finding more open doors in shops and restaurants than their Bordeaux counterparts. According to Estelle Roumage of Château Lestrille, innovative wines can be easier to place with French retailers when they're not introduced first as Bordeaux products.

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Organic wine brand Vinca is launching its sustainable aluminium-bottled wines into Marks & Spencer Food stores across the UK, rolling out to 116 stores, in a major retail milestone for the business.

Vinca’s organic Catarratto white and Syrah & Nero d’Avola red will be priced at £10.50, made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium bottles introduced first in its 2021 canned wine range, before expanding into 750ml formats.

According to independent carbon auditing by Zevero, the aluminium format reduces emissions by nearly 50 per cent versus glass, with each empty bottle weighing just 68g compared with around 450g for a standard glass bottle, improving logistics efficiency.

Pallet efficiency also improves, with up to 40 per cent more bottles per shipping container. M&S wine buyer Harriet Coates said the range combines sustainability and quality. The wines are also listed at Tesco and Booths across the UK retailers.

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The UK Wine Show, widely regarded as the world's first dedicated wine podcast and one of the longest-running, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, marking two decades of weekly wine education, interviews and industry insight.

The first episode was released on 2 June 2006, when podcasting was still a niche medium. Twenty years later, co-founders Chris Scott and Jane Scott of ThirtyFifty have produced more than 850 episodes featuring guests from across the global wine industry, and the show continues to publish every week.

Hosted by Chris Scott, with contributions from co-host and co-producer Jane Scott, the podcast has explored every aspect of wine, from vineyard science and winemaking to blind tasting, food pairing, sustainability, climate change and wine business trends. Over the years, the show has featured conversations with winemakers, sommeliers, scientists, educators, retailers and wine communicators from around the world.

What started as an experiment with a microphone and a passion for wine has grown into an incredible journey, says Chris Scott, co-founder of ThirtyFifty.

We've had the privilege of speaking to some of the most knowledgeable and inspiring people in wine, and we're hugely grateful to the listeners who have joined us week after week for the past twenty years.

The UK Wine Show launched before the iPhone and Spotify, at a time when podcasting was still finding its audience. Today, it has earned a loyal international following and maintains a 4.3-star rating on Apple Podcasts.

Jane Scott adds:

The wine world has changed enormously over the last twenty years, but what hasn't changed is people's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about wine. It's been wonderful to share that journey with our listeners.

From Wine Podcast to Wine Education Platform

A key factor behind the show's longevity has been its ability to evolve. While the UK Wine Show began as a broad wine podcast, around 2016 the team shifted towards more in-depth educational content to support WSET students and wine professionals looking to deepen their knowledge.

That move helped transform the podcast into a widely used study resource and laid the foundations for ThirtyFifty's wider wine education platform.

The shift also led to the launch of two specialist podcasts: the ThirtyFifty L3 Wine Podcast for students studying the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, and the ThirtyFifty L4 Wine Podcast for candidates working towards the WSET Diploma. Together, they provide structured learning support for students pursuing two of the wine industry's most respected qualifications.

The podcasts sit alongside ThirtyFifty's broader suite of study tools, including flashcards, mock exams and, for UK-based students, the opportunity to taste the wines they are studying. The approach is designed to mirror how people learn best: by listening, reading, testing themselves and ultimately tasting.

Throughout its evolution, one feature has remained constant: regular wine news coverage, helping listeners stay informed about developments across the global wine industry.

A British Podcast with a Global Audience

Over the past 90 days, the UK Wine Show has been downloaded in more than 60 countries.

The United States is currently the show's largest single market, accounting for 21% of downloads, followed by the UK at 18.5%. Japan ranks third with 13% of downloads, ahead of many of the world's traditional wine-producing nations.

The show's strongest growth, however, is across Asia. Combined listenership from Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and China accounts for approximately 24% of all downloads - making Asia a larger audience than either the UK or the United States individually.

The international audience reflects the increasingly global nature of wine education and the growing demand for accessible, expert-led content from wine enthusiasts, students and industry professionals alike.

Special 20th Anniversary Episode

To mark the anniversary this week, the UK Wine Show has revisited one of its earliest interviews.
In 2006, episode eight featured James Ellis, Director of Ellis Wines, discussing the state of the wholesale wine trade. Twenty years later, Chris Scott sits down with Ellis again to ask many of the same questions and explore how the industry has changed over two decades.
The result is a unique perspective on the evolution of the wine trade and a fitting way to celebrate twenty years of documenting the world of wine.

Highlights from Twenty Years

• First episode released on 2 June 2006
• More than 850 episodes produced
• Weekly publication schedule maintained for twenty years
• Downloaded in more than 60 countries in the past 90 days
• Educational focus introduced in 2016 to support WSET students and wine professionals
• Continuous wine news coverage throughout the show's history
• Special anniversary episode reunites Chris Scott with James Ellis, first interviewed in 2006
• ThirtyFifty L3 and L4 Wine Podcasts launched to support WSET students
• Full study platform developed, including flashcards, mock exams and wine tasting opportunities for UK-based students


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French vineyard prices have fallen for a second consecutive year, with Bordeaux suffering the steepest declines as the country’s wine industry grapples with vine removals, falling demand and a sluggish land market.

New figures from Safer, France’s agricultural land agency, show that the average price of vineyard land with a protected designation, fell 2.9% in 2025 to €171,400 per hectare. Excluding Champagne, where values remain exceptionally high, prices dropped 6.8% to €87,400 per hectare.

Bordeaux-Aquitaine saw the sharpest decline, with vineyard values falling 23.8% after an 18.4% drop the previous year. The average price reached €77,100 per hectare, while some prestigious appellations recorded even larger falls. Pauillac dropped 32% to around €1.7 million per hectare and Margaux fell 43% to €800,000 per hectare.

The picture was brighter in Burgundy and Champagne, where prices continued to rise modestly. Burgundy vineyard values increased 3.9%, while Champagne edged up 0.9%.

Despite weaker prices, vineyard transactions rose 16.3% in value to €1.65 billion. However, industry leaders warn the French vineyard market remains in a period of major restructuring, with nearly 30,000 hectares already uprooted and further removals expected as producers adapt to changing consumer habits and declining global wine consumption.

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New research suggests that adding more disease-resistance genes to grapevines does not always improve protection against downy mildew, challenging a key assumption behind modern grape breeding programmes across Europe.

Researchers have found that stacking multiple resistance genes in a single vine does not necessarily protect against downy mildew, one of the most damaging diseases.

The findings, reported by VVQ – Vigne, Vini & Qualità, challenge the practice of 'gene pyramiding', where breeders combine several resistance traits to make it harder for pathogens to overcome plant defences.

Scientists discovered that some gene combinations work well together, while others add little extra protection. As a result, breeders may need to place greater emphasis on how resistance genes interact rather than simply increasing their number.

The study could influence future breeding programmes as Europe seeks to reduce pesticide use while maintaining vineyard productivity and wine quality.

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