Wine News: What I’m Reading the Week of 7/16/23

Hello, and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard-inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week.

“We Have to Act Now”: Winemakers Battle to Save Piedmont’s Iconic Barbera Amid Climate Change
A wine worth saving.

How Michael Benedict Changed California’s Pinot Noir Game
A nice piece about a man most people knew only by half of a vineyard name on a bottle.

Does Malolactic Fermentation Have a Place in Rosé Production?
An intriguing question in the face of increasing heat.

Cheers to Champagne That Doesn’t Break the Bank
Not as easy to find as you might think.

Is a Glass of Wine Harmless? Wrong Question.
Perfectly put. A must-read.

Whither Port?
Meg Maker writes and draws her way up the Douro.

As Champagne brands get stronger, do they still have the same appeal for consumers?
Another Champagne story from Kathleen.

Climate Sparks Rethink on Watering Wine
Now illegal, but maybe not forever.

Attitude over altitude: Argentina’s winemaking evolution
A concrete look at the latest trends.

Germany Is Driving the Quality Revolution for Non-Alcoholic Wine
Looks like I have some tasting to do next time I’m over that way.

Despite Strict Alcohol Laws, Utah Wine Finds Its Footing
Unusual challenges.

Uncovered: The Harsh Reality of California Winery Insurance in 2023
Brutal.

New legislation introduced to protect wine grape growers from wildfire smoke damage
A welcome offer to solve the problem?

Uruguay Wine Remains a Mystery to Many—but That’s About to Change
Great wine country.

Why California Wineries are Embracing Fire to Avoid Disaster
An article from Modern Farmer about…. modern farmers.

Why this wet, cool vintage reminds many North Coast vintners of 2011
Cool until this past weekend, that is.

Sonoma, Napa vintners hope for warm days as problems of later harvest loom
Will be interesting to see where this current heat puts us.

Beyond bubbles: English Chardonnay seizes the spotlight
Lean and mean.

Optimizing Irrigation: Using Tech to Improve Decision Making
Jeff Siegel digs into the tech.

Wine heists
A summary of the state of the “art.”

What You Need to Know About Slovenian Wine
Lauren Mowery reports.

Savatiano: The Greek gladiator
A delicious glass.

Traditional method wines from untraditional regions: Part 2
L.M. Archer looks at Temecula, Santa Barbara, and Michigan.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Expensive Lawsuit Over Cheap Rosé, Explained
Watch the train wreck. Go on.

Fine wine is souring as investment prices sink
Nothing goes up forever.

It sparked California’s $40 billion wine industry. But what if it was all wrong?
An inexact science gets an upgrade.

A Fresh Look at French Wine, From the Inside Out
Eric Asimov reviews Bonné’s new book(s).

How to plan a weekend in South Moravia, Czech wine country
Off the beaten path for sure.

Ultrasound the surprise ingredient for better rosé wine, faster
Do you want your wine sonicated?

Turkey’s Old Vines: A Disappearing Delight
Interesting article (and we’ve got many of these vineyards in the Old Vine Registry).

Jancis Robinson’s summer wine recommendations
Chill that red.

A Swiss wine village experiments with solutions to water scarcity
Interesting project.