Dionysus wine news
Harvests, ratings, sales and new releases from the wine world, each story with its sources.
Aurélien Valance to lead Château Margaux from 1 December 2026
Aurélien Valance will become managing director of Château Margaux on 1 December 2026, succeeding Philippe Bascaules.
Court approves RNDC plan as distributor continues wind-down
A Texas bankruptcy court confirmed the Chapter 11 plan for RNDC and its debtor subsidiaries on 27 October. Implementation and creditor settlements still require follow-up.
Friday 30 October
OpticalShield says security bag logs heat and intrusion events in wine shipments
On 30 October 2026, OpticalShield described a patented security bag that continuously records temperature and intrusion events in sealed wine and spirits shipments.
Wines Experience schedules 150 producers in Mexico City
Wines Experience is scheduled for 5–6 November in Mexico City with 150 producers and more than 1,000 labels.
Guide des Meilleurs vins de France 2027 selects 20 wines for cellar ageing
Tasters for the Guide des Meilleurs vins de France 2027 selected 20 French wines that can be cellared for several years.
Entries open for the 2027 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition
California wineries can enter the 2027 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition for free, with wine deliveries due by 14 May 2027.
Cork-sealed wines account for 62.3% of US off-premise wine revenue, industry study says
Cork-sealed wines generated $7.74 billion, or 62.3%, of US off-premise wine revenue in the 52 weeks from July 2025 to July 2026, according to research by APCOR and the NCC.
Italy places 25 wines in Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Cellar Selections 2026
Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Cellar Selections 2026 includes 25 Italian wines, led in third place by Giacomo Fenocchio’s Barolo Bussia Riserva 2019.
Texas’s first cooperage brings local white oak into focus
WineBusiness reported on 30 October 2026 that Texas winemakers and distillers are exploring local white oak with the state’s first cooperage.
Steenberg Black Swan named among South Africa’s top 10 Sauvignon Blancs
WineBusiness reported on 30 October 2026 that Steenberg Black Swan had been named among South Africa’s top 10 Sauvignon Blancs.
Steenberg Merlot 2023 wins Gold at the 2026 Veritas Awards
Steenberg Vineyards’ Merlot 2023 received a Gold medal at the 2026 Veritas Awards.
La Marca debuts its first non-alcoholic sparkling wine
La Marca has debuted its first non-alcoholic sparkling wine, an Italian-made product containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
Rioja faces a possible 30 million-litre wine surplus after the 2026 harvest
Rioja could be left with a wine surplus of roughly 30 million litres after the 2026 harvest, according to a WineBusiness report published on 30 October 2026.
French bulk wine market rebounds in 2025/26 campaign
Vins de France bulk-wine transactions reached 2.6 million hectolitres in the 2025/26 campaign, up 10% from the previous marketing year, FranceAgriMer reported on 20 October 2026.
Decanter highlights 10 Xinomavro wines awarded at DWWA 2026
On 30 October 2026, Decanter presented 10 Xinomavro-dominant Greek wines awarded at DWWA 2026, led by 2 Gold-medal wines scoring 95 points.
Adair Family Wines completes restoration phase for five Napa and Sonoma estates
Adair Family Wines has completed the restoration phase for five Napa and Sonoma estates acquired from the Vintage Wine Estates bankruptcy 2 years earlier.
UK raises alcohol duties by 4.55% in Autumn Budget
The UK government announced a 4.55% rise in alcohol duties on 28 October 2026, adding about 14p to a bottle of Prosecco according to the Wine & Spirit Trade Association.
Chile asks US to widen tariff exemptions as wine remains subject to 12.5% surcharge
Chile asked the United States on 29 October 2026 to expand exemptions from a 12.5% tariff surcharge that still affects Chilean wine.
Contracted bulk Vins de France volumes rise 10% in 2025/26
Contracted bulk Vins de France volumes rose 10% to 2.6 million hectolitres in the 2025/26 campaign, according to figures attributed to Meininger’s International.
Heineken places all its South African wine labels under strategic review
Heineken said on 28 October 2026 that all its South African wine labels are under strategic review; no decision to sell wine assets has been announced.
Argentina’s wine sales fell 4.7% in September 2026
Argentina marketed 707,145 hectolitres of wine in September 2026, 4.7% less than a year earlier, according to figures attributed to the National Vitiviniculture Institute.
Llano Estacado takes top honors at the 2027 Vine 2 Wine competition
Llano Estacado won Grand Champion and Top Winery honors as Texas wines secured 28 Platinum and 57 Gold medals.