Australian wine grape crush defies early predictions

The National Vintage Report 2019 for Australia has revealed a 1% decrease in the national wine grape crush to an estimated 1.73 million tonnes (Mt).

Winetraders signs up Hampshire’s Exton Park

Winetraders has expanded its listings with the addition of English sparkling wine producer Exton Park.

Market frustrated at pricing of Bordeaux 2018

Traders have found the release of Bordeaux’s 2018 vintage “perplexing” and “frustrating”, according to a report from Liv-Ex.

Kopke and Casa Burmester latest to declare 2017 a vintage year

Kopke and Casa Burmester are the latest Port houses to declare 2017 as a vintage of outstanding quality.  

The week that was

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, here’s a review of the top online news, analysis, opinion and features.

Fladgate latest to announce back-to-back vintage declaration

Things are heating up in the Douro, with yet another port house following up 2016 with another vintage year.

Rioja 2018 given the thumbs up from the DOCa despite weather woes

The Rioja vintage for 2018 has been classified as ‘Good’ despite the uncertainty around the impact of unpredictable weather conditions on the region.

Soave hails vintage as a success despite ‘tricky year’

Consorzio of Soave has hailed the 2018 vintage as a success predominantly thanks to the ‘Sentinels of Soave’.

‘Ready to drink’ 2017 Burgundies could ease sky-high prices ahead of Brexit

The wines now emerging from Burgundy’s 2017 vintage could help to ease the pockets of restaurants and fine wine merchants, it has been suggested.

Douro harvest delivers quality on back of “absurdly low” yields

Following a year of challenging weather extremes, the Douro’s 2018 harvest has given up some “excellent Ports and Douro wines” according to Symington Family Estate’s annual harvest report.

Computer vision: an eye on the future

Computer vision has been used for years for facial recognition software and this this type of technology will become instrumental in decoding drinking trends, says Jo Gilbert.  

Kiwi winegrowers predict ‘modest’ export growth in spite of good harvest

New Zealand winegrowers are predicting only modest export growth for the coming year in spite of a 6% surge in grape production.

Symington reports soaring 2016 Vintage Port sales

The Symington Family has reported ‘exceptionally strong’ demand for its 2016 Vintage Ports.

Churchill’s joins port peers in declaring 2016 a vintage year

Churchill’s has become the latest port house to declare 2016 a vintage year following unusual but ultimately beneficial growing conditions in Portugal.

Laarman grows portfolio with new premium collection

Laarman Wines has unveiled the maiden vintage of its premium Focal Point collection.

2016 Ports debut at London preview

Purity, precision and terroir were very much the buzz words at the 2016 Vintage Port Preview Tasting in London on May 17, where Symington Family Estates, The Fladgate Partnership and Quinta do Noval collaborated to show wines from the recently and unanimously declared 2016 vintage.

Premium agenda at Sicilia en Primeur as bottled exports hit new high

Bottlings of Sicilian wine rose 123% in the first quarter of 2018 (vs Q1 2017), reflected in both an ongoing trend to more premium exports and a reduction in bulk sales following the short 2017 harvest.

Wakefield predicts best Shiraz vintage in decades

Wakefield Wines has predicted the 2018 Shiraz vintage will be the best in decades.

Rioja 2017 vintage scarce but ‘very good’

The Rioja 2017 vintage has been awarded an official ‘very good’ rating by the Rioja Control Board.

Croft, Fonseca and Taylor’s Port declare 2016 vintage