Text by: SW Team
Team USA Competes at the World Blind Tasting Championship; The World’s Most Expensive Wines of 2025; The New Wine Tourism Rankings.
Team USA Competes at the World Blind Tasting Championship
Provence, France, October 2025. The United States has once again stepped into the global wine spotlight, fielding a team of top sommeliers to compete at the World Blind Tasting Championship. While full results are still coming in, the very presence of a U.S. team at this elite event marks a growing confidence in American tasting talent. Central Coast sommelier Paige Bindel is one of the four members of Team USA, bringing a piece of our community to a worldwide championship. Traditionally dominated by European countries like France, the championship tests teams on their ability to identify wines by grape, region, vintage, and producer — all by taste alone. This year’s competition gathered sommeliers from around the world for a high-stakes challenge of sensory skill and encyclopedic wine knowledge. For the U.S., it’s more than just a contest — it’s a signal that American palates are becoming sharper, more trained, and ready to claim a place at the top table of wine connoisseurship.
Photo: worldtastingchampionship.com
The World’s Most Expensive Wines of 2025
September 2025 – Global. In 2025, the ultra‑premium wine market continues to astonish. According to Wine‑Searcher’s ranking, the top 10 most expensive wines command price tags that few ever see, much less drink. Here are some highlights:
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Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru – $48,715
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Domaine d’Auvenay Bâtard‑Montrachet Grand Cru – $25,665
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Domaine de la Romanée‑Conti Romanée‑Conti Grand Cru – $23,796
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Domaine Leroy Chambertin Grand Cru – $16,045
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Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier‑Montrachet Grand Cru – $21,235
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Domaine Leroy Mazis‑Chambertin Grand Cru – $11,950
Put together, one bottle of each from the top 10 clocks in at roughly $217,811. Bordeaux, by contrast, has a gentler curve: top bottles range from $776 to $4,325, with Château Pétrus leading the way at $4,112. These wines may be expensive, but compared to Burgundy’s top-tier, they’re practically modest.
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 2012
France, Italy, Spain: The New Wine Tourism Rankings
Milan, Italy, September 2025. France has officially been named the top destination in Europe for wine tourism, according to a new index published by Tui Musement. The ranking takes into account vineyard area, number of quality certifications (PDO/PGI), production volume, and international awards. France scored a commanding 85.2 out of 100, followed by Italy (77.1) and Spain (73.8).
Italy, despite being Europe’s largest wine producer, lands in second place — likely due to France’s overwhelming presence in fine wine accolades and export value. Spain comes in third, with its massive vineyard acreage and growing wine tourism infrastructure. Notably, the index also signals a surge in enotourism overall: more than 13 million wine tourists are expected to visit Italy alone in 2025. Food and wine travel is no longer niche — over 91% of travelers expressed interest in wine-focused experiences. The takeaway? Wine isn’t just in the glass — it’s become a destination.
