Before I launch in, a quick reminder that our wine writing competition is open for entry! We’re welcoming articles on any and all non-food pairings – from wine for a windy day to what you’d pair with a PTA meeting. Please read the rules and don’t be afraid to take an unorthodox approach.
If you are a writer or communicator, you may also be interested to know that the Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship is now open. This fellowship awards recipients with an immersive trip to Washington’s vineyards and wineries as well as a stipend. It requires three published pieces, a 500-word essay on why you’d like to learn about Washington wine and story ideas. I’ll include the link to the fellowship in the transcript of this video.
WSET announces new Diploma graduates
Congratulations to all 2025 WSET Diploma graduates! WSET’s annual graduation ceremony was on 27 April. Out of 714 graduates from 45 countries around the world, Australian student Sebastian Iannuzzi took home the Vintners’ Cup – awarded to the highest overall performer. You’ll find a full list of recent graduates linked on our site.
US tariffs ruled illegal again
Back on 20 February the US Supreme Court struck down tariffs implemented by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This was a huge relief to wine importers and to wineries who buy much of their equipment from other countries.
However, later that day, Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a temporary 10% global tariff effective 12.01 am on 24 February for the maximum allowable time period of 150 days. On 9 March the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit against the administration on the grounds that these tariffs are also illegal. Yesterday 7 May, the US Court of International Trade ruled that the tariffs are indeed illegal. The Trump administration is expected to appeal. If the current Section 122 tariffs are kept in place, they expire in July and the Trump administration plans to replace them with tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Bordeaux 2025 en primeur campaign
This week, James Lawther MW put out a series of articles on Bordeaux’s 2025 vintage replete with notes on barrel samples to assist anyone looking to purchase en primeur – aka wine futures. Meanwhile, in our Members’ forum, Nick Martin of Wine Owners has continued to keep us updated with relative-value analyses comparing JancisRobinson.com’s scores and the châteaux’s release prices for 2025 with scores and prices from other recent high-quality vintages such as 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022. This information has become increasingly important in recent years because en primeur pricing has climbed high enough that consumers can often find wines on the market for less than they sold en primeur. We are still very early in the campaign, but producers do seem to be bringing prices down. Nevertheless, Martin’s data shows only one clear value thus far. I encourage you to check out James’s articles and our forum before purchasing.
France to uproot more vines
At the end of March, FranceAgriMer’s request for applications for vineyard uprooting had garnered 5,823 applications for uprooting of 27,926 ha (69,007 acres) of vines in exchange for a €4,000/ha government subsidy. The subsidy is being offered due to the oversupply crisis. The 27,926 ha represents a 3.6% decrease in national vineyard area. On 17 April producers who had submitted applications received authorisation to begin uprooting work; however, there is no confirmation yet that aid would be awarded as the European Commission still needs to validate the request for €112 million in national funds. Early authorisation for uprooting was deemed necessary so that untreated vineyards do not become breeding grounds for pests and disease.
No deal for Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman
On 28 April, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman ended negotiations for a merger, reporting that they were unable to ‘reach mutually acceptable terms’.
Major US wine distributor cuts more jobs
Late last year, RNDC – one of the US’s largest wine and spirits distributors – laid off upwards of 1,700 employees and ceased distribution in California. Then, in March of this year, they struck a deal with Reyes Beverage Group to hand over operations in ten states and Washington, DC. Last week Reyes, in the midst of taking over operations, issued employees with conditional Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) documents. They expect to cut up to 4,677 jobs – with more than 40% of these cuts being made in Texas.
World Congress of Vine and Wine proposal call
This year, from 12 to 16 October, Yinchuan, Ningxia, will host the 47th World Congress of Vine and Wine and the 24th General Assembly of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). Member countries will come together to discuss the future challenges of the wine industry. The organisation is currently open to receiving proposals for presentations on viticulture, oenology, economy and law, and safety and health sessions from members of the scientific community.
That’s all for this episode of the wine news. I’ll see you once more before my exam on 22 May. If you enjoy this newscast and would like to see it continue, please become a member of JancisRobinson.com. And if you have breaking news in your area, please email [email protected].
This is a transcript of our regular five-minute news broadcast, which you can watch below. You can also listen to it on The Wine News in 5 Podcast. If you enjoy this content and would like to see more like it, please become a member of our site and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
