Credit to photo: Created by Imagine.art
Text by: SW Team
Dates of Bordeaux En Primeurs tasting week revealed; Burgundy’s 2022 and 2023 first tastings are happening right now; California wildfires: is there a threat for vineyards?; ProWein Business Report 2025 is published; New alcohol consumption guidelines from U.S. Government are on their way.
Dates of Bordeaux En Primeurs tasting week revealed
Our channels informed us that the main Bordeaux wine event – the Primeurs tasting week will begin on the 13th of April. The forthcoming Primeurs campaign promises to be unique in all meanings. First of all – the prices for the top-tier Bordeaux since post-COVID years are significantly lower than in 2010 and this trend keeps living. This happens because of several factors: the series of challenging vintages in France, the dramatic shrink of demand for Bordeaux from Chinese investors, the lowering positions of First Growth Bordeaux in Liv-ex fine wines rating – all of that affected the initial Bordeaux prices. Another fashion of today’s Bordeaux wine business is selling some of the wines directly to consumers, which goes against the classic Place de Bordeaux system. To be short – Primeurs week is going to be hotter than ever. If you would like to see our predictions for it – read this article.
Picture by: Bordeaux.com
Burgundy’s 2022 and 2023 vintages’ first tastings are happening right now
Compared to Bordeaux, Burgundy’s top producers hold their positions from the prices point of view. The trend for Champagne and Burgundy is on so the Pinots and Chardonnays are on high demand. DRC is going to release their wines in February. Many other producers are already displaying their 2023 and 2022 vintages and experts agree that both of them are classic. While 2022 was a little more challenging, 2023 was a truly great vintage. In a recent prices survey, an international merchant called Bordeaux Index – pointed out that even in a period of falling prices, buyers are still interested in top Burgundy.
California wildfires: is there a threat for vineyards?
California's Palisades Fire, ignited on January 7, 2025, has devastated over 23,713 acres and remains uncontained after a week, severely impacting Southern California's agriculture because the winds spread the fire further. In Pauma Valley, renowned for its avocado and citrus farms, the situation is bad. A local farm reported a 50% loss of its avocado crop due to strong winds that knocked the fruit off trees just before harvest, significantly affecting the farm's productivity and financial stability. The Santa Ana winds, notorious for their speed and intensity, are exacerbating the spread of wildfires and posing additional challenges for farmers. These winds carry dust and smoke across coastal Southern California, further endangering crops and deteriorating air quality. For the moment, fires are distant from winegrowing districts but the gusts of wind are strong and firefighters do their best to eliminate the further expansion.
Map by: fire.ca.gov
ProWein Business Report 2025 is published
In late 2024, Geisenheim University conducted its eighth consecutive annual survey on behalf of ProWein, gathering insights from over 1,300 professionals across the global wine industry. Participants from more than 30 countries included wine producers from prominent wine-growing regions in Europe and beyond, along with exporters, importers, specialist wine retailers, and representatives from the food service, hospitality, and hotel sectors. The highlights of this survey are: rising costs of production; adaptation to the fast changing consumer’s behavior; general wine sales volume decline; the problem of premiumisation and, of course, the climate change. The full report is available on an official ProWein’s webpage.
Chart by: prowein.com
New alcohol consumption guidelines from U.S. Government are on their way
In January 2025, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a new advisory highlighting the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. He proposed updating the warning labels on alcoholic beverages, which have remained unchanged since 1988, to better inform the public about these risks. Dr. Murthy emphasized that alcohol is a significant, preventable cause of cancer, accounting for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths annually in the United States. He noted that even minimal alcohol consumption can elevate the risk of various cancers, including those of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colorectum. While only Congress has the authority to mandate new warning labels, this advisory underscores the necessity for increased public awareness and harm reduction concerning alcohol-related health risks.
Picture by: dietaryguidelines.gov
This advisory aligns with recent research challenging the notion that moderate alcohol consumption offers health benefits. A comprehensive analysis of over 40 years of studies concluded that many earlier reports were flawed, revealing that the risks of premature death increase significantly for women consuming 25 grams of alcohol per day and for men at 45 grams per day. In light of these findings, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) are reviewing current alcohol consumption guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, updated every five years, currently advise that adults who choose to drink should limit their intake to two drinks or fewer per day for men and one drink or fewer per day for women. The upcoming 2025 guidelines may incorporate stricter recommendations based on the latest scientific evidence.
