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.

Dr Richard E Smart 1945–2025
A majorly influential figure in the world of viticulture.

China Uncovers $20M Wine Smuggling Ring
Some would say tip of the iceberg.

Jancis Robinson MW becomes RVF patron
A worthy cause.

California wrote off this red wine. But now it’s staging a comeback
Sangiovese returns, part I

This California wine is defying sales trends
Sangiovese returns, part II

Why winemakers are landing on Moon Mountain
Vines with a view.

Why everyone’s talking about the Maremma
Underappreciated Tuscany.

Trump targets French wine and Italian cheese in EU trade talks
What wine pairs well with TACO?

Laura Catena, the scientific heart of Argentine wine
Something of a paen.

Meet the Queer Wine Pros Rewriting the Rules—and the Wine List
Some names to know.

Which country’s restaurants are kindest to wine lovers?
Not USA’s.

American Producers Take on Orange Wine to Create “New World” Style
New old world?