Wine Trade Archives

Wine Spectator unveils its “Top 10 Wine Values of 2024”

Wine Spectator has recently announced its Top 10 Wine Values of 2024, with the Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County 2022 earning top honours as the Wine Value of the Year. This exceptional wine, produced by a venerable winery with a 130-year legacy, is not only widely accessible with over 100,000 cases produced but also affordable at just $26. It has garnered a rating of 93 points from Wine Spectator.

This curated list highlights the most economically advantageous wines of the year. It features bottles that have achieved a rating of 90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale and are priced at $40 or less. The selection spans a diverse array of regions, from California to Italy to New Zealand, showcasing global excellence in winemaking.

“For the fourth consecutive year, our editors have selected their top values of the past 12 months. From Sonoma to Tuscany to Mendoza, the wines on this list all showcase top-tier winegrowing regions at their most budget-friendly, each of them finding a way to overdeliver on quality for the price,” said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher, Wine Spectator. “We are pleased to present a selection of wines that are as affordable as they are delicious”

The Top 10 Wine Values of 2024 include:

Source: Wine Spectator

Mombarone [Piedmont] Vineyards added to Historical Register

The Italian Ministry of Agriculture has officially recognized the historical and scenic value of the vineyards in the Canavese region, located on the left bank of the Dora Baltea River. These terraced vineyards, cultivated since medieval times, have been added to the National Register of Historical Rural Landscapes, a distinction that highlights their cultural and environmental significance. The recent announcement was welcomed by Bruno Mecca Cici, President of Coldiretti Torino, who described it as a crucial step in protecting and revitalizing the region’s heroic viticulture.

The register includes rural areas that have preserved their unique cultural and agricultural characteristics over centuries, becoming integral to the local landscape and heritage. In Canavese, the terraced vineyards exemplify human adaptation to the Alpine environment. The dry-stone walls supporting these terraces create a favourable microclimate for growing vines under challenging conditions by reflecting heat and stabilizing the terrain.

The winemaking tradition in Canavese is deeply rooted in local history. The terraces, locally known as tupiun, are supported by stone pillars called pilun, a centuries-old farming technique passed down through generations.

The Ministry’s recognition underscores the need to protect these vineyards not only for their cultural value but also for their role in preventing soil erosion and landslides on the region’s steep slopes. Maintaining these vineyards is considered heroic viticulture under Italian law, given the extreme conditions in which local farmers work. Despite their importance, these viticulturists face numerous challenges in sustaining their activity.

Mecca Cici stressed that inclusion in the National Register must be accompanied by concrete policies to support mountain viticulture. Proposed measures include protecting vineyards from wild animals, building rural roads and transport systems to improve access to terraced plots, and providing incentives to acquire abandoned land. There is also a push to develop tourism and infrastructure that could leverage the unique Canavese landscape for economic benefit.

Tourism promotion is seen as an opportunity to revive the local economy. Coldiretti Torino has advocated integrating the vineyards into existing tourist routes, such as the Via Francigena, and showcasing local features like the Balmetti of Borgofranco di Ivrea—natural cellars carved into rock used to store wine and other products.

Canavese wines are central to this revitalization effort. The region is home to renowned appellations such as Nebbiolo di Carema and Erbaluce di Caluso, wines that experts believe hold great potential in the face of climate change. Additionally, olive cultivation is being promoted on the same slopes, a practice that seemed improbable in this mountainous area until recently but is now yielding promising results.

Alto Adige Wines Announces a New UGA Classification

Nestled in Italy’s northeastern corner, Alto Adige, one of the country’s most compact yet pioneering viticultural areas, is advancing its esteemed Alto Adige DOC designation with a significant new addition. The Consorzio Alto Adige Wines has recently announced that, starting with the 2024 vintage, 86 well-defined and meticulously documented vineyard areas have been granted special legal status as Additional Geographical Units (in Italian “Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive” or UGA).

“Our goal is to capture the unique character of each vineyard in every bottle,” said Martin Foradori, Vice President of the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines and owner of the J. Hofstätter estate. “Terroir” should not be just a marketing term—it should be something you can truly taste in each glass of wine.”

Defined by rigorous criteria, each UGA reflects an ideal alignment of soil type, microclimate, altitude, slope inclination, sun exposure, rainfall, and more. While forward-thinking was essential to this process, tradition also played a significant role, as many of the selected vineyard sites hold historical importance. A land register dating back to the mid-18th century provided access to valuable historic land names, testifying the region’s rich viticultural heritage. Additionally, within each UGA, permissible yields have been further reduced by 25% compared to DOC regulations, ensuring optimal grape quality and exceptional wines.

The ideal grape varieties for vineyards within each UGA have also been carefully defined. Eduard Bernhart, Director of the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines, explained: “Wines that qualify for a UGA designation must be made exclusively with grapes from that specific site. Depending on the vineyard’s location within a UGA, up to five varieties may be permitted, while some UGAs restrict production to just one or two varieties.”

As of the 2024 vintage, the geographical designation—such as Gries, Mazon, or Eppan Berg, to name just a few of the 86 recognized UGAs—may be listed on wine labels alongside “Alto Adige DOC.”

Producers wishing to use a UGA name on their label are required to include a pictograph specially designed by the Consorzio. Alto Adige Wines This will allow consumers to clearly recognize these special wines, as the pictograph must appear on both the front and back labels.

“Much like other renowned wine regions, we believe this initiative will set new benchmarks for exceptional and distinctive Alto Adige wines,” commented Andreas Kofler, President of the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines and of Cantina Kurtatsch. “These UGAs establish Alto Adige as a leader in the highest quality, terroir-driven winemaking.”

The creation of UGAs marks the culmination of years of research, collaboration, and vision led by the Consorzio Alto Adige Wines. Contributions from agronomists, enologists, growers, and producers helped shape the new classification, blending innovation with a deep respect for tradition.

Wines of South Africa Announces “CapeWine 2025” – The Largest Wine Trade Show in the Southern Hemisphere

Wines of South Africa (WoSA) has recently announced the return of CapeWine, scheduled for 10-12 September 2025, to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). For the first time, DHL Express and Hillebrand Gori have joined forces as the event’s headline sponsors, showcasing their commitment to supporting the growth of South African wine globally.

As the triennial flagship event for South African wine, CapeWine 2025 will showcase the richness and diversity of South Africa’s wine industry to an international audience of trade professionals, media, and enthusiasts.

The theme of CapeWine 2025 will be “Our Warmest Welcome,” encapsulating the spirit of South Africa’s wine industry in terms of the wine and the people who produce it. This event invites trade professionals worldwide to connect with the diverse individuals shaping the wine industry.

First hosted in 2000 with 100 exhibitors, the expo has grown to over 10 editions and has now become renowned for its extensive showcase of over 400 South African wine producers. The event will also offer a host of immersive experiences that go beyond the trade floor. Attendees will explore the different wine regions, discover rare varieties, meet talented winemakers, and engage with groups of like-minded enthusiasts.

“This tenth edition of our flagship trade event promises to be one of the best yet. Twenty-five years after the first CapeWine was launched in 2000, it has grown exponentially, and the show, as we know it today, has evolved to truly reflect what the South African wine industry is all about: the phenomenal wines we produce, our wonderfully warm people, the dramatic and spectacular landscapes, and the overall richness of our culture. I look forward to welcoming trade from around the world to join us for what will be an unforgettable experience,” states Siobhan Thompson, Wines of South Africa, CEO

The 2025 edition promises to elevate the South African wine industry’s global profile, attracting trade and media representatives from over 60 countries. The event runs daily from 10:00 to 17:00, providing ample opportunities to network, taste exceptional wines, and explore the local culture and landscapes of the Cape Winelands.

Registration and Tickets: www.capewine2025.com

Wine News: Pouilly-Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles have their first Premier Crus!

The Pouilly-Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles ODG (Organisme de Gestion et Défense) have just officially announced the recognition of their first Premier Cru wines. The wines can be officially labelled commencing with the 2024 vintage – the ministerial decrees defining the new production specifications for our two appellations were signed on November 18, 2024, by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

These Premier Cru classifications are the culmination of a long process that began in 2006 in partnership with the INAO (Institut Nationale des Appellations d’Origine). This achievement is rooted in a detailed geological and pedological study of the terroirs, an exploration of the historical significance of the parcels, an analysis of agronomic and winemaking practices, and the recognition of the most renowned Climats (Burgundian lieux-dits) within the appellations.

The production specifications for the new Premier Cru wines are both strict and groundbreaking, notably banning all herbicides and mandating manual harvesting. This is a first in Bourgogne for Premier Cru Climats, reflecting environmental responsibility.

The two appellations, Pouilly-Loché (32 ha) and Pouilly-Vinzelles (52 ha), both exclusively planted with Chardonnay, are true gems of the Mâconnais in southern Bourgogne. Their finest clay-limestone Climats have now been classified as Premier Crus, joining our friends and neighbors from Pouilly-Fuissé, who achieved their Premier Cru status in 2020.

The following have received the much-coveted designation:

New Pouilly-Loché Premier Cru (32 ha)

Les Mûres (7.09 ha)

New Pouilly-Vinzelles Premiers Crus (52 ha)

Les Longeays (7.50 ha)

Les Pétaux (2.76 ha)

Les Quarts (12.45 ha)