TASTING · REPORT · 06:27
Wine in the Making
Federweißer is a wine in the making: fermentation has begun but is not yet complete. The fizz in the glass and the way it changes from week to week are what make this brief autumn chapter so appealing.
Wine news
The wine day in brief: news, events and all the latest articles from our sections – newest first.
Today Friday, 6. November
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
What a wine tasting can measure – and what it cannot
Blind tasting, sensory profiling or consumer judgement: what sensory analysis can tell us about wine depends on the question being asked.
- WINE BUSINESS · PREVIEW
How much of a premium does a larger bottle fetch?
Rieslings in several formats are going under the hammer in Bad Kreuznach. What matters is not the record price, but the comparison per litre.
- REGIONS · BACKGROUND
Rain above the vines: who organises water retention?
Keeping water where it falls: how winegrowers, local authorities and other land users can plan measures across property boundaries.
- GRAPE VARIETIES · PREVIEW
Sangiovese across vintages: the questions we are asking of the new Brunello
Benvenuto Brunello puts Montalcino’s new wines in the spotlight in November. Our set of questions distinguishes vintage, selection and ageing.
- WINERIES · PROFILE
Julia Lübcke: Change rooted in heritage
Three church-owned wine estates, vineyards along three rivers and an estate director who does not confuse tradition with standing still.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
Vineyard wines under two rulebooks: what the label really tells you
Einzellage, Großlage, VDP.GROSSE LAGE: similar terms represent different systems. Here is how to make sense of the label.
- REGIONS · BACKGROUND
One harvest, several figures: how reliable is Germany’s volume assessment?
Two estimates, two reference dates: what the harvest figures for 2026 tell us – and what remains unresolved.
- WINE BUSINESS · PREVIEW
Shanghai is the beginning, not the end
45 German wineries and trading companies are heading to ProWine Shanghai. The real test comes after the fair: turning conversations into reliable distribution partnerships.
- WINE & FOOD · REPORT
Lutzmannsburg opens its cellars – but how much of the work will be on show?
On 7 November, Lutzmannsburg’s winegrowing families will welcome visitors into their cellars. Details of opportunities for conversation, routes and what will be on offer remain open.
- REGIONS · REPORT
Portugal in Zurich: explaining origin without overwhelming audiences with names
Douro, Dão, Bairrada: a presentation in Zurich shows why origin is the best way into Portugal’s wine world.
Yesterday Thursday, 5. November
- TASTING · REPORT
German red wine: three characters, one vintage
Lemberger, Spätburgunder and a blend: three reds from Schnaitmann, Huber and Rings strike distinctive notes in the 2022 vintage.
- WINERIES · PROFILE
Garage Caveau: the business decisions behind a new name
Garage Caveau combines extensive leased vineyards with a small own-label range. What can be substantiated about this business model – and what remains unclear.
- GRAPE VARIETIES · BACKGROUND
PIWI breeding: how long should resistance last?
Resistance is not an expiry date but a race against adaptable pathogens. How breeders and winegrowers can monitor it.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
After the early harvest: How producers explain their decisions on acidity
The harvest was exceptionally early. How measurements, intended style and wine law interact in decisions on acidity.
- WINE BUSINESS · BACKGROUND
A new Basel wine award needs transparent rules
255 entries, 204 medals: the new Basel award raises profiles. Yet there is little public documentation of exactly how the jury reaches its decisions.
- REGIONS · PREVIEW
La Gomera as a test case for sustainable island winegrowing
On La Gomera, steep vineyards and limited resources raise a major question: how can sustainable island winegrowing be measured?
- WINE & FOOD · REPORT
Viennese wine in the city's everyday life
From vineyard to market hall: what sets Viennese wine apart and why its place need not be confined to the Heuriger wine tavern.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · PREVIEW
Can grape pomace add aroma to alcohol-free wine?
Researchers at Geisenheim are investigating fermented grape pomace as a potential aroma ingredient for dealcoholised wine. The results remain open.
- REGIONS · REPORT
Radebeuler Anglühen: The real test comes after the festival
Radebeul brings wineries, hospitality businesses and cultural venues together for a November weekend. Whether this will generate additional overnight stays remains an open question.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
Who bids for whom? The intermediaries at a wine auction
Anyone not bidding in the room can appoint a commission agent. What they arrange – and the limits set by a maximum bid.
- WINE BUSINESS · BACKGROUND
Champagne 2026: What the alcohol exemption actually means in the cellar
The 13 per cent limit is not being lifted for all Champagne. A special provision applies to certain blends and requires precise entries in cellar records.
- REGIONS · REPORT
London: questions for an international wine audience
At London's Fine Wine Encounter, wines from many regions meet an international audience. The programme provides an opportunity to discuss origin, maturity and price.
- GRAPE VARIETIES · BACKGROUND
Uruguay beyond Tannat tunnel vision
Albariño, Marselan and Cabernet Franc grow alongside Uruguay’s famous Tannat. How broad is this diversity really?
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · PREVIEW
Natural wine needs verifiable rules
No additives, no filtration, organic grapes: the Swiss natural wine charter draws clear lines. How is compliance checked?
- WINE BUSINESS · BACKGROUND
Crisis distillation: What happens to the wine after an application
An application is followed by a tightly scheduled process. The volumes requested show that the potential relief for the market remains limited.
- REGIONS · BACKGROUND
Austria’s early vintage: how harvest logistics must change
When grapes ripen earlier, workers, picking teams and cellar equipment need to be ready earlier too — and work together more flexibly.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
Food safety in the cellar: who checks the handovers?
From tank to bottle: how hygiene, documentation and checks work together in a winery – and who is responsible for what.
- WINE BUSINESS · BACKGROUND
When auction wine comes with the right to visit
A bottle, an estate visit or a future allocation: the Bonhams auction in Paris brings different entitlements together in a single lot.
- WINE & FOOD · PREVIEW
Carinthia opens its cellars: how does a wine region explain itself?
Carinthia’s winegrowers are opening their cellars on 7 November. A visit may reveal what connects its scattered winegrowing locations and diverse grape varieties.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · REPORT
Protecting water really begins after spraying
Leftover spray solution and wash water do not belong in drains or ditches. The crucial work of protecting water begins after the final spraying run.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
Trees beside vines: who has access to soil water?
A Geisenheim study finds evidence of competition for water and root space. What the findings show – and where their limits lie.
- GRAPE VARIETIES · BACKGROUND
Which red varieties hold their own beyond Pinot Noir?
From Württemberg Lemberger to Franconian Tauberschwarz: Germany’s red wine scene is more diverse than a focus on Pinot Noir might suggest.
- WINE BUSINESS · BACKGROUND
Nordic routes to market rather than a single export hope
Sweden and Finland are coming into focus as export markets. But gaining access through trade channels and tenders takes more than strong export figures.
- WINE & FOOD · PREVIEW
How much of the wine world fits into a merchant’s range?
MondoVino brings more than 170 producers to Vienna. An opportunity to reflect on selection, guidance and the limits of the wine shelf.
- WINE KNOWLEDGE · BACKGROUND
Alcohol-free at winter stalls: what belongs on the drinks menu?
Glühwein, a spiced drink or juice: at a winter stall, the name does not always reveal what is in the cup.
- REGIONS · REPORT
KaiserHerbst: a wine weekend without an events marathon
As KaiserHerbst draws to a close, the number of events is not what counts. A look at the landscape and programme shows what a leisurely day can offer.
- WINE BUSINESS · PREVIEW
Sekt among Riesling lots: how an auction broadens its offering
Two bottle sizes, one vintage, one origin: the Kupfergrube Riesling Sekt brings a rare point of difference to the Nahe auction.
- WINERIES · REPORT
Those who run an estate should also speak for it
DiVINes! puts women winegrowers in the spotlight. But the crucial questions behind the stand also concern ownership, power and succession.
- REGIONS · PREVIEW
Piacenza: a meeting place for lesser-known stories of provenance
Three days, more than 300 wineries: Piacenza puts the focus on provenance, direct dialogue and wines beyond the familiar names.
