Category: Articles

Old Vine Registry Surpasses 4,000 Entries: Vineyards Planted in 1990 Now Eligible

The Old Vine Registry, recognized as the foremost global database dedicated to documenting old vine vineyards, has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 4,000 entries. This accomplishment underscores the registry’s ongoing commitment to cataloging historic vineyards, with entries now encompassing 39 countries. In addition, vineyards established in 1990 are now eligible for inclusion. The registry aims to expand its database to 10,000 vineyards by 2027, reflecting its dedication to preserving viticultural heritage.

With the changing of the year, vineyards planted in 1990 are now 35 years old and are eligible for inclusion in the registry. Producers are encouraged to submit their vineyards at https://www.oldvineregistry.org/.

The OIV’s recently passed Resolution OIV-VITI 703-2024 “OIV definition and recommendations about old grapevines and old vineyards in the vitivinicultural sector” made the explicit recommendation to all wine regions around the world to “promote and encourage the cataloguing of old vineyards and old grapevines.”

The Old Vine Registry was conceived expressly for that purpose, with the idea that to study, preserve, or support old vines around the world, you first need to know where they all are. The registry launched in June of 2023 with 2183 entries and has grown steadily over the last year and a half.

“The recent OIV Resolution really validated what we’re doing,” says wine writer Alder Yarrow, who serves as the day-to-day manager of the registry. “I hope it will encourage both individual producers and whole regions to publish information about their old vines.”

Southbrook Vineyards Announces the Release of an Exclusive Chef-Signed Wine Collection to Honor Canadian Culinary Stars Competing at the Bocuse d’Or Finale

Southbrook Vineyards, a highly acclaimed organic and biodynamic winery renowned for its innovative approach to natural, small-batch winemaking has announced the introduction of “The Southbrook CHEFS CANADA Limited Edition Set”. This collection is signed by both award-winning Canadian Chef Keith Pears, and the founder of Southbrook, Bill Redelmeier.

The Southbrook CHEFS CANADA Limited Edition Set establishes Southbrook Vineyards as the official wine partner of CHEFS CANADA and pays tribute to the Canadian culinary team participating in the Bocuse d’Or Finale, held at the Sirha in Lyon, France January 27, under the leadership of Chef Pears.

The collection includes magnum bottles of the 2020 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2020 Estate Merlot, and 2020 Poetica Red, presented in an elegant wooden box.. Only 50 sets are available online, HST-exempt until February 15, 2025, at a total price of $442.48. From each sale, $100 will support Team Canada at the Bocuse d’Or.

Link to purchase: Southbrook CHEFS CANADA Limited Edition Set  🏆! Let’s go CANADA🇨🇦

“Representing Team Canada at the Bocuse d’Or is an incredible opportunity to continue striving for perfection in my craft,” said Chef Pears, who hails from Vancouver but resides in Toronto, and is Canada’s Bocuse d’Or candidate. “I’m thrilled about the partnership with Southbrook Vineyards because they share a similar philosophy—approaching their work with thoughtfulness, a dedication to small-batch winemaking, and a focus on the health and vitality of their vineyards”.

Bocuse d’Or was founded in 1987 by legendary French Chef Paul Bocuse and is recognized as the world’s most competitive culinary event. It’s a prestigious platform for nations to spotlight their unique culinary heritage and terroir, while showcasing gastronomical innovation from next-generation chefs.

“We deeply admire the passion, precision, and extraordinary skill that CHEFS CANADA and Team Canada bring to their preparation for the Bocuse d’Or. It’s an honour to support Chef Keith Pears and his team on their inspiring journey toward gold,” said Redelmeier.

Wine Reviews: Embark on a Journey with these Exceptional Vintages from the Wagner Family of Wine: Caymus, Mer Soleil, and Caymus-Suisun

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence: 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet

The 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to half a century of winemaking excellence, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Caymus Vineyards.

The Caymus Vineyards was established in 1972 by the Wagner family in Napa Valley, California. Over the past 50 years, the winery has become synonymous with exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, earning a reputation for producing wines of remarkable quality and consistency. The 2022 vintage marks a significant milestone, celebrating five decades of dedication to the art of winemaking.

Tasting Notes:
The 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable wine that embodies the rich heritage and meticulous craftsmanship of Caymus Vineyards. This vintage presents a deep, garnet color with a bouquet that is both complex and inviting. Aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis, and dark cherries are complemented by subtle hints of cocoa, vanilla, and a touch of tobacco. On the palate, this Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied and well-structured, with velvety tannins and a harmonious balance of fruit and oak. The flavors mirror the nose, with an added layer of spice and a long, satisfying finish.

93 Points
Liz Palmer

Accolades and Awards: The 2022 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has garnered critical acclaim, including high ratings from renowned wine critics and publications. It has been praised for its depth, complexity, and aging potential.

Food Pairings: This Cabernet Sauvignon pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes, including grilled ribeye steak, lamb chops, and hearty beef stews. It also complements aged cheeses and dark chocolate desserts.

 

Coastal Elegance: 2022 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey County

Mer Soleil, established by the Wagner family, has been producing exceptional Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands since 1981. The 2022 Reserve Chardonnay continues this tradition of excellence, offering a captivating expression of coastal terroir, offering a delightful blend of elegance and complexity.

Tasting Notes:
The 2022 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey County showcases a brilliant golden hue and an enticing bouquet of tropical fruits, citrus, and a hint of butterscotch. On the palate, this Californian Chardonnay is rich and creamy, with flavors of pineapple, lemon zest, and ripe pear, balanced by a touch of vanilla and toasted oak. The wine’s vibrant acidity and smooth texture lead to a long, refreshing finish.

91 Points
Liz Palmer

Accolades and Awards: This Chardonnay is a versatile and opulent wine. It has received a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and 90+ points from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.

Food Pairings: This wine pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes including grilled or roasted chicken, s king crab legs, pork loin topped with pineapple, creamy pasta dishes, soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert, and salads with citrus vinaigrette, enhancing the savory notes, subtle smoky undertones, fruity characteristics, and vibrant acidity of the wine.

 

2021 Caymus-Suisun Grand Durif Suisun Valley Petite Sirah

Caymus-Suisun, part of the Wagner family’s portfolio, has been producing high-quality Petite Sirah in Suisun Valley since 1992. The 2021 vintage showcases the winery’s commitment to crafting exceptional wines from this historic region.

Tasting Notes:
The 2021 Caymus-Suisun Grand Durif is a powerhouse wine, boldly showcasing the depth and richness that the Durif grape, better known as Petite Sirah, is capable of. Picture a glass filled with deep, inky purple goodness, and you’ll have a glimpse of what awaits. On the nose, you’re met with an inviting medley of blackberries, plums, and dark cherries, all elegantly intertwined with hints of mocha, vanilla, and a subtle touch of black pepper. The palate doesn’t disappoint, delivering a full-bodied and robust experience with velvety tannins and well-structured acidity that beautifully balances the concentrated fruit flavors. Layers of dark chocolate, licorice, and toasted oak add complexity, leading to a long and satisfying finish., making it a standout in any collection.

92 Points
Liz Palmer

Food Pairing: The 2021 Caymus-Suisun Grand Durif pairs exceptionally well with hearty dishes such as braised short ribs, grilled lamb chops, stews, mushroom risotto, and aged cheeses.

Silicon Valley Bank Releases 24th Annual State of the US Wine Industry Report

The Wine industry reset is here, fueled by a generational shift to younger consumers redefining consumption patterns

Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank, today released its 2025 State of the US Wine Industry Report. Widely regarded as the leading source of market trends in the premium wine sector, SVB’s annual report provides an analysis of current market conditions and forecasts for the year ahead.

The report uncovered several positive market indicators, despite an overall decline in global wine demand in the last year. The premium wine segment once again demonstrated resilience with small, single-digit sales declines overall, and the top quartile of wineries producing average sales growth of 22%. With total wine consumption decreasing by volume, wine supply is backed up throughout the production and sales channels. While challenging for industry players, the market environment is poised to create some of the most accessible bottle pricing of the last 30 years, a golden era for wine consumers in search of value.

“The wine industry is undergoing a significant change, marking the first demand-based correction in three decades,” said Rob McMillan, Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division founder and author of the report. “We have been predicting a generational shift for many years, and the 2025 report data solidifies the wine industry is now living that reality. Different parts of the industry will heal at different times, but we can expect a continued downturn for some time before we reach flat growth.

No- and low-alcohol wine, white wine and prosecco experienced positive growth, with white wine outpacing red wine sales for the first time in many years. According to the report, varietal shifts from red to white could be a forward indicator that a rotation to younger consumers is underway. More broadly, the youngest consumers are increasingly abstaining from wine altogether or choosing alternatives, all trends expected to persist into 2025 and beyond.

“Consumers are not changing their minds about wine. Older, 60+ year-old consumers who historically index higher for wine purchases are sunsetting, replaced by younger consumers who index lower for wine and prefer other drink categories,” said McMillan. “To restore the balance between demand and supply, growing consumption share with consumers in the 30-45 segment is critical. The industry can shorten the recovery by evolving marketing and promotion strategies to meet that consumer at their value points.”

The 2025 SVB report examines the latest consumption, pricing and sales data as well as the most promising wine industry marketing strategies. It provides an in-depth analysis of the key trends and data impacting the US wine industry:

  • Total wine category sales will end 2024 with negative volume growth, between minus 3% and minus 1%.
  • The weighted average of wineries produced a 3.4% revenue decline, with the top quartile seeing an average of 22% revenue growth, and the bottom quartile seeing a 16% revenue decline.
  • Wholesale-heavy wineries fared worse than direct-to-consumer-focused brands.
  • Tasting room visitation is predicted to be slightly lower in 2025 compared to 2024.
  • California- and Washington-planted acreage exceed demand while Oregon is closer to being in balance with demand.
  • 42% of winery survey respondents said they will take a small price increase in 2025, which may prove difficult in an over-supplied market with prevalent discounting.

Read the full 2025 State of the Wine Industry report here: www.svb.com/trends-insights/reports/wine-report.

International Tourism Recovers Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2024

According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, an estimated 1.4 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2024, indicating a virtual recovery (99%) of pre-pandemic levels. This represents an increase of 11% over 2023, or 140 million more international tourist arrivals, with results driven by strong post-pandemic demand, robust performance from large source markets and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific.

The Middle East (95 million arrivals) remained the strongest-performing region when compared to 2019, with international arrivals 32% above pre-pandemic levels in 2024, though 1% higher compared to 2023.

Africa (74 million) welcomed 7% more arrivals than in 2019, and 12% more than in 2023.

Europe, the world’s largest destination region, saw 747 million international arrivals in 2024 (+1% above 2019 levels and 5% over 2023) supported by strong intraregional demand. All European subregions surpassed pre-pandemic levels, except for Central and Eastern Europe where many destinations are still suffering from the lingering effects of the Russian aggression on Ukraine.

The Americas (213 million) recovered 97% of pre-pandemic arrivals (-3% over 2019), with the Caribbean and Central America already exceeding 2019 levels. Compared to 2023, the region saw 7% growth.

Asia and the Pacific (316 million) continued to experience a rapid recovery in 2024, though arrival numbers were still 87% of pre-pandemic levels, an improvement from 66% at the end of 2023. International arrivals grew 33% in 2024, an increase of 78 million from 2023.

By subregions, North Africa and Central America saw the strongest performance in 2024, with 22% and 17% more international arrivals than before the pandemic. Southern Mediterranean Europe (+8%) and the Caribbean (+7%) also enjoyed robust growth, as did Northern Europe (+5%) and Western Europe (+2%).

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili states:

“In 2024, global tourism completed its recovery from the pandemic and, in many places, tourist arrivals and specially earnings are already higher than in 2019. Growth is expected to continue throughout 2025, driven by strong demand contributing to the socio-economic development of both mature and emerging destinations. This recalls  our immense responsibility as a sector to accelerate transformation, placing people and planet at the center of the development of tourism.”

The majority of destinations reported arrival figures well above pre-pandemic levels in 2024

Most destinations reporting monthly data continued to enjoy strong results in 2024, with a majority exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Available data for the first 10 to 12 months of 2024 shows several destinations reporting double-digit growth compared to 2019:

El Salvador (+81%), Saudi Arabia (+69%), Ethiopia (+40%), Morocco (+35%), Guatemala (+33%) and the Dominican Republic (+32%), all exceeded pre-pandemic levels by far in the full twelve months of 2024.

The full recovery of international tourism in 2024 is also reflected in the performance of other industry indicators. According to the UN Tourism Tracker, both international air capacity and air traffic virtually recovered pre-pandemic levels through October 2024 (IATA). Global occupancy rates for accommodation reached 66% in November, slightly below 69% in November 2023 (based on STR data).

International tourism receipts saw robust growth in 2024 after virtually already reaching pre-pandemic levels in 2023, in real terms (adjusting for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations).

Receipts reached USD 1.6 trillion in 2024, about 3% more than in 2023 and 4% more than in 2019 (real terms), according to preliminary estimates.

As growth stabilizes, average spending is gradually returning to pre-pandemic values, from nearly USD 1,400 per international arrival in 2020 and 2021, to an estimated USD 1,100 in 2024. This is still above the average of USD 1,000 of before the pandemic.

Total exports from tourism (including passenger transport) reached a record USD 1.9 trillion in 2024, about 3% higher than before the pandemic (real terms), according to preliminary estimates.

Several destinations reported outstanding growth in international tourism receipts during the first nine to eleven months of 2024. These include Kuwait (+232%), El Salvador (+206%), Saudi Arabia (+148%), Albania (+136%), Serbia (+98%), Republic of Moldova (+86%), and Canada (+70%), all in local currencies. These countries also enjoyed double-digit growth in receipts in 2024 compared to 2023.

Among the world’s top five tourism earners, the United Kingdom (+40%), Spain (+36%), France (+27%) and Italy (+23%) saw robust growth in the first nine to eleven months of 2024, compared to 2019.

Data on international tourism expenditure reflects the same trend, especially among large source markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom (both +36% compared to 2019), the United States (+34%), Italy (+25%) and France (+11%). Expenditure from India remained high in the first half of 2024 (+81% above 2019 levels), after extraordinary growth in 2023.

International tourist arrivals are expected to grow 3% to 5% in 2025 compared to 2024, assuming a continued recovery of Asia and the Pacific and solid growth in most other regions. This initial projection assumes global economic conditions remain favorable, inflation continues to recede, and geopolitical conflicts do not escalate.

The outlook reflects a stabilization of growth rates after a strong rebound in international arrivals in 2023 (+33% vs 2022) and 2024 (+11% vs 2023).

The latest UN Tourism Confidence Index confirms these positive expectations. Around 64% of UN Tourism Panel of Experts see ‘better’ or ‘much better’ prospects for 2025 compared to 2024. Some 26% expect similar performance in their destination, while only 9% believe 2025 be ‘worse’ or ‘much worse’ than last year.

However, economic and geopolitical headwinds continue to pose significant risks. More than half of respondents point to high transport and accommodation costs and other economic factors such as volatile oil prices, as the main challenges international tourism will face in 2025. Against this backdrop, tourists are expected to continue to seek value for money.

Geopolitical risks (aside from ongoing conflicts) are a growing concern among the Panel of Experts, which ranked them as the third main factor after the economic ones. Extreme weather events and staff shortages  are also critical challenges, ranking fourth and fifth among the factors identified by the Panel of Experts.

Balancing growth and sustainability will be critical in 2025, as reflected by two major trends the Panel of Experts identified: the search for sustainable practices and the discovery of lesser-known destinations.