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The week that was

Top stories: The subject of low and no got people talking this week. Although the driest month of the year is officially over, the trend for moderation will continue to gather pace as several of our recent pieces on this subject grow.

Elsewhere, we looked at the latest struggle for Oddbins and a potential bottle shortage which could be about to bite down.

IF predictions are correct, the booming popularity of gin and glass stockpiling ahead of Brexit are both expected to squeeze the bottling industry into 2020.

• ‘Perfect storm’ causes glass shortage and price hikes for UK wine industry
• Teetotal for a year: why waking up to low and no is the trade’s biggest challenge 
• Oddbins set for administration
• Académie Internationale du Vin appoints Lebanese winemaker
• LWF introduces charges for attendees in 2019
• Q&A: Piotr Pietras MS, independent wine consultant and SITT on-trade ambassador
• Google searches for Dry January up 35% on last year as Gen Z knuckles down with no and low

Analysis and Insights: Three years on from Seedlip’s launch, we found out just how far the low and no category has come – and where it’s going.

We also took a trip to the Loire to find out how winemakers in the “home” of Sauvignon Blanc are putting their unique soils front and centre.

• How low can you go?
• Loire and order

People and Opinion: We have a bit of a focus on corks and closures this month. First up is Tim Atkin MW, who has drawn some definitive conclusions on the long-running cork versus screwcap debate.

Elsewhere Tom Ashworth, head honcho of Wiltshire merchant Yapp Brothers, spoke to James Lawrence about 50 years of business, and we caught up with Piotr Pietras MS, former director of wine at London’s Hide, about his new role at SITT and his tips for navigating the on-trade wine scene.

• Tim Atkin MW: Closing off the cork-vs-cap conundrum
• Q&A: Tom Ashworth, Yapp Brothers
• Q&A: Piotr Pietras MS, independent wine consultant and SITT On-Trade Ambassador