#sparkling-wine-storage

#sparkling-wine-storage

"airlines have really stepped up their game. I've spotted bottles on beverage carts that I'd have to hunt for on the ground, which tells me they're working with people who actually know wine. They have a captive audience at 35,000 feet, and they could easily rely on subpar offerings. So when an airline chooses to stock something genuinely good, it says a lot."

In order for a glass of Prosecco to reach its full potential in terms of flavor and aroma, it should be served at a temperature between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. You don't want to overchill wine, especially not Prosecco as anything colder than about 38 degrees Fahrenheit will mute all of the gorgeously nuanced fruitiness in the bubbly.

Hands up, who is dry Januarying? While it's not something I do explicitly, I do like to cut back a bit at the beginning of the year. The marathon that is Christmas socialising can be fun but relentless, and I imagine there are many others in the same boat. When it comes to wine, at least, the problem with cutting back is what to do with the rest of the bottle.

Former consort braved the newly reincarnated Absolute Bagels & bailed when he found 45 people in line, in the cold. One of our oldest friends, who retreated to the Bay Area long ago, always used to say: "The more New Yorkers get fucked, the more they like it." Now with more Instagram...

the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rules, set by the USDA, declared that importers-that's right, the firms that typically handle sales and logistics, not just the winemakers- also need to be certified organic in order for the wines to retain the label. According to a spokesperson from the USDA, the regulations are an effort to "better protect organic businesses and consumers" and "keep fraud out of the market."

If you've ever walked a massive trade fair floor feeling overwhelmed by endless booths and brochures, you're not alone. But ProWein Düsseldorf is changing the game, and it's about time. The world's leading wine and spirits fair just announced a major evolution for 2026: the Insights to Action (I2A) Framework. And no, this isn't another buzzword-heavy initiative. It's a data-backed, visitor-focused system designed to make B2B wine buying smarter, faster, and far more efficient.

The Brain Science Here's where neuropsychology enters the vineyard. The human brain's relationship with wine is deeply emotional and multisensory. When we taste wine, our orbitofrontal cortex integrates sensory information with memory and emotion; it's why a particular bottle might remind us of our grandmother's kitchen or that study-abroad summer in Tuscany. This neural complexity is what makes wine special, and it's also what makes AI's role in the industry controversial.

For wine collectors, the art of cellar management has always been as much about precision as it is indulgence. Temperature, humidity, and provenance all dictate whether a vintage will flourish or falter, and even the most meticulous collectors know that storage mistakes can be costly. Now, a new wave of technology promises to take out the guesswork. AI wine cellars, as futuristic as they sounds, are systems that use artificial intelligence to track bottles, catalogue vintages, and anticipate optimal conditions.

While nonalcoholic wines haven't always been a hit, many brands are challenging stereotypes with their wow-worthy wines, and such is the case with Bolle's Blanc de Blancs. Coming in at $40 for a standard 750-milliliter bottle or $90 for a magnum, this alcohol-free bubbly isn't the most budget-friendly option. It is, however, worth every penny. In a ranking of several non-alcoholic wines, Tasting Table's taste tester dubbed Bolle's Blanc de Blancs the best of the best.

Starbucks' Reserve Roasteries sell whiskey barrel-aged cold brew, some beer is aged in bourbon barrels, and wine is an obvious beneficiary of this method too. Though the practice of aging wine in bourbon barrels is contested by some consumers - naysayers say the process diminishes the flavors that come from thoughtfully growing and sourcing the grapes, thus undermining the farmers - others are staunch fans of the finished product.

In 2025, legacy Oregon craft brewery Rogue Ales & Spirits filed for bankruptcy and shuttered operations, California uprooted 38,134 acres of wine grapes (in order to cope with overproduction and stymie future excess crops), and Jim Beam announced it would cease production of bourbon at its main distillery for the duration of 2026. An increasing push toward sobriety has flooded the market with nonalcoholic alternatives to traditional tipples.

Founded in 1992 by Miguel Torres and Robert Drouhin to promote the exchange of ideas, its members include Domaine Clarence Dillon (Château Haut-Brion), Famille Perrin (Chateau de Beaucastel) and Alsace's Famille Hugel, as well as Sassicaia makers Tenuta San Guido, the Douro's Symington family, Riesling specialists Egon Müller and Tuscany's 26 th-generation winemakers Marchesi Antinori. Earlier this week, all 12 descended on the Paris's Grand Palais for the launch of the PFV Generations Case, an ultra-limited-edition case of 12 wines - one from each family. Treats in the coffret include a 2016 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a 2004 Vega Sicilia Unico, and a Champagne Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2002 (which the house's 6 th-generation ambassador Bastien Collard de Billy was pouring on the night, and I can report tasted absolutely stellar). To sweeten the deal, each case also includes a VIP visit to every estate, some of which aren't open to the public. The case is priced at €32,000 and only a dozen have been created.

"Five to ten years ago, sustainability was often limited to buzzwords or isolated practices," he says. "Today, it is holistic, intentional, and deeply embedded into every aspect of the visitor experience."

Romance and renewal are on the menu now and through February. It's a time to recharge and get moving on shaping a successful 2026. But that doesn't mean you can't slow down and enjoy an evening sip after a long day, or crack open a bottle with a loved one and celebrate the moment. These unique California reds offer an opportunity to relax and toast to finding joy in the new year.