wine

2,200 years ago, the Earth’s magnetic field collapsed. Some wine amphorae recorded it with unprecedented precision

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Finding some ceramic at a site is a fairly common occurrence, but in archeology the context is almost everything: this way you can discover from the Roman legions took away their vices there where they were going 1,800 years ago they were already used as piggy banks. Or even strange movements of the Earth. It’s what has happened in three sites in Jerusalem, where 24 pieces of ceramic have functioned as a kind of millennia-old compass record. The discovery. A research team from Tel Aviv University, Ariel University and the University of California, San Diego has managed to obtain geomagnetic information from 17 handles of wine amphorae from the island of Rhodes and seven jugs made there in Jerusalem, more specifically from the sites of the City of David, the Jewish Quarter and the Givati ​​parking lot. What makes them special are two things: on all of them the names of the potter and the supervisor of that year’s production appeared. There is another surprising fact from the analysis of the pieces: reveal that between the years 206 and 156-155 BC the Earth’s magnetic field lost more than 30% of its intensity. The scientific explanation. When clay is fired at high temperatures, the iron-containing minerals it contains are oriented according to the magnetic field that exists at that moment and when they cool, they stay that way forever… or until they are heated above the Curie temperature. If they are heated some time later in a laboratory under certain controlled conditions, it is possible to obtain the signal and intensity of the magnetic field from the time of manufacture, which is known as “archaeointensity analysis.” Why is it important. Because the ceramic pieces revealed that the magnetic field weakened much faster than estimated with current models. On the other hand, because magnetism offers an alternative to radiocarbon to date ancient objects and structures with a precision that carbon cannot always offer. Already there were studies that they affirmed it, but this confirms it for the Hellenistic era. Context. The starting ceramics are stamped handles of amphorae made on the island of Rhodes between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC. In the Hellenistic period, these amphorae circulated throughout the eastern Mediterranean, loaded with wine or oil. Greek amphorae they used to have engraving the name of the potter and the annual official who supervised production, called the eponym. This administrative custom turns the Rhodes amphorae into a chronological instrument of incredible precision: it is possible to date pieces with a time deviation of less than one year, something that is rarely seen in archaeology. In detail. Collaterally, this finding also has implications for the acra fortressa building that the Seleucid king Antiochus IV ordered to be built around 167 BC to control the city during the time of the Maccabees and whose exact location has been one of the most lively debates in archeology in Jerusalem for decades. In 2015, at the Givati ​​car park site, a team of archaeologists discovered part of a defensive ramp that they associated with Accra. The problem is that one of the vessels found in its structure belongs to a ceramic type that does not appear until after 130 BC, that is, decades after when Antiochus IV ordered the construction of the fortress. If the ramp were part of the original Acra of 167 BC, the vessel in its foundation would have to date from before that date, not later. Furthermore, its magnetic intensity fits with a manufacture from the end of the 2nd century BC. C. What does this mean? That ramp may not belong to the original Accra structure. Yes, but. The study concludes that a jug found under a defensive ramp in the Givati ​​car park is too recent to be linked to the original construction of the Accra fortress. But that information does not resolve anything: the ramp could have belonged to a later renovation phase or the jug could have been placed there later. On the other hand, Previous investigations in the Levant They already pointed to a drop in the magnetic field between 220 and 160 BC, and this finding supports it with unprecedented precision. Even so, 24 vessels are an insufficient sample to consolidate the curve on a regional scale: more samples are needed from more sites. In Xataka | A cargo sunk in a Swiss lake 2,000 years ago confirms it: the Roman legions did not deprive themselves of anything In Xataka | The most polarizing and divisive scientific debate of the moment has to do with wine. With one 1,700 years old Cover | Israel Antiquities Authority and Toa Heftiba

We know that the inhabitants of a Roman site in Aragon loved wine and games. A mystery remains: why they vanished

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When we think of ancient Rome, the first image that comes to mind is that of patricians in togas, the Colosseum, legionnaires and heroes gathered in the Senate. That however is only one part of the Empire. The “Rome of marble”, as the archaeologist Ángel A. Jordán recently summarized it in an interview with The Newspaper. Another, equally important and much less known, is the “Rome of clay”, that formed by people who lived far from the metropolis and dedicated their days to working, drinking and playing, went hungry, loved and mourned their dead. That last Rome is the one that Jordan and his companions are discovering little by little in Barker Heada deposit of Five Villasprovince of Zaragoza. In a place in Aragon… It may not be the best-known site in Spain, but Barker Head has proven to be a box of surprises for archaeologists interested in the history of Aragon. Located in the pre-Pyrenean foothills, near Sofuentes, its land was occupied for centuries and played a key role in the road which Augustus ordered to be built and toured the area. Hence since 2016 Researchers have carried out several campaigns to peer into the secrets of a population that, it is estimated, covered 19 hectares and extended from the late bronze age until late antiquity, between the centuries VI and IX AD., a period that has left a good handful of vestiges. Last year, for example, was announced the discovery of a Roman road. Why is it news? Because after eight campaigns, a new excavation has just been launched at the site. He revealed it a few days ago The Aragon Newspaperwho in the process chatted with the project director, Angel A. Jordanabout the objective that the team has set for this year: to clarify why the population declined, something difficult to understand with the data they have collected so far. “It is a city that a priori has water because it is located in a place where there are many springs, it is a privileged area with very good agricultural land… It is a great mystery why the city stopped being inhabited. In the 7th century it no longer exists,” details the expert The chronicle of Cabeza Ladrero can therefore extend from the IX or VIII BC until late in our era, although it is believed that it reached its period of splendor during the Roman era. One unknown, two theories. Although the excavations will (hopefully) clarify the mystery, Jordán and his team already start with some theories on the table. One is that the settlement succumbed to external attacks. “Last year the excavation began to give us curious elements. Small remains are appearing that indicate the presence of fire, ashes are appearing in different parts of the street and that makes us think that it could have been abandoned due to some violent event,” admits in The Newspaper. “Taking into account that the city does not reach the 7th century and that there are signs of destruction, we could still be facing some type of attack, especially from the Bagaudas, rebel groups that acted in the Ebro valley during the 5th and 6th centuries and that looted several cities in the region,” apostille the expert The other suspect. The second hypothesis is that it was the disease that killed the locals. As remember Jordanit is known that in the 6th century there was “a brutal epidemic of the Black Death” that had devastating consequences. “It is estimated that in many parts of the empire up to 25% died,” says the director of the archaeological project before remembering that there is evidence of another phenomenon: a transfer of population to The Bañalesa Roman settlement located not far from Cabeza Ladrero and which became a prosperous town. The “Rome of clay”. Beyond its geopolitical relevance, its role in the road system or the details of its chronicle, there is another reason why Cabeza Ladrero is so special: it offers us a window into the “Rome of clay”which completes the image of “marble Rome” that cinema usually conveys and has formed the cliché of the empire. After all, at the Aragonese site archaeologists have found much more than vials and ancient milestones. Pitchers and board games. During their excavations, researchers have found jugs that tell us about his love of drinking and several tokens that, experts believe, could have been part of an ancient board game. “They were people who lived, got drunk and robbed each other; but they also loved and we have been able to see that very well in the necropolis,” Jordan says in The Newspaper. “Indeed, they played because they had to have fun and, if not, they were bored out of their minds. They organized tournaments and the kids had their toys.” Images | Wikipedia 1 and 2 Via | The Aragon Newspaper In Xataka | Under an institute, Rome has found something impressive: a perfectly preserved “domus” from the 2nd century

Wine consumption has plummeted to lows not seen since 1957

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Almost seven decades. This is what you have to go back in the world wine chronicle to find a year in which the world consumed less wine than it drank in 2025. This is at least shown the balance which has just been published by the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), an organization that boasts of bringing together 51 countries that account for 88% of the world’s wine production and that now cannot but note a trend that the sector has been viewing with suspicion for some time: the world seems less and less interested in the wineries. Your data is revealing. “Adapting to challenges”. Although corporate language usually avoids fatalism, the truth is that the OIV’s latest annual report does not leave much room for optimism. Its CEO, John Barker, claims that in recent years the wine sector “has been adapting to the constant climatic, economic and social challenges”, but the reality is that the global ‘photo’ of 2025 is not good. Consumption fell worldwide until reaching unseen lows for decades and things were not much better in world trade, where exports also suffered in both volume and value. Production did improve, although in a very discreet way and insufficient to approach the average that the sector has managed so far this century. Not only that. In general, today there are many fewer hectares cultivated with vineyards in the world than 25 years ago. Has consumption dropped that much? It seems that way if we trust the OIV, which estimates that in 2025 global wine consumption will amount to 208 million hectoliters. It may seem like a large sum, but it marks a drop of 2.7% with respect to 2024 and aggravates the ‘puncture’ that the sector has been registering since 2018, widening the collapse to reach 14%. The tables of the OIV show that never before has so little wine been drunk on the planet since (at least) 2000. And that is only what their latest balance shows. The EFE agency has reviewed the historical archive of the organization and assures that in 2025 consumption plummeted to the lows of 1957. Searching for the causes. As is usually the case, this ‘puncture’ is not explained by a single factor. Inflationary pressures, geopolitical tensions, interruptions in trade due to causes beyond the control of the sector or, if we go back to 2020, the effect of the pandemic come into play. In the cocktail however there is another ingredient taken by the OIV itself: “Changes in social habits and at a generational level” that directly affect consumer behavior, a trend that is seen above all among the young. If we focus on the world map The organization focuses above all on what is happening in three large markets. The first is China, where “the greatest contraction” is noted, with the loss of about two million hectoliters per year since 2018. As a reference, if in 2020 its consumption was estimated at 12.4 million, last year it was already around 4.8. The union has also noted a sustained decline in the French market and a “marked slowdown” in the US, which contracted 4.3% in 2025. The picture is not exactly good in the EU, which although it accounts for a large part of world consumption, reduced it by 3.1%. Global data 2020 2022 2025 Cultivated area (thousands of hectares) 7,388 7,236 7,034 Wine produced (Millions of hectoliters) 264 265 227 Wine Consumed (Millions of hectoliters) 232 228 208 A business less business. Another indicator in low hours is exports. Last year fell 4.7% in terms of volume, which extends the trend observed in the market since 2022. If we talk about hard dollars (value), the puncture was even greater: world exports moved 33.8 billion euros6.7% less than in 2024. Once again, these percentages are explained by a sum of factors that include fluctuations in demand, prices and “tariff uncertainty”; but also something much more basic: less is exported because fewer vines are planted and less wine is harvested. The footprint in fields and wineries. As for the first (the area with vineyards), in 2025 contracted 0.8% until it reaches seven million hectares. “It represents the sixth consecutive year of contraction,” remember the OIV. “This confirms a continuing adjustment in the global wine sector, driven by the clearing of vineyards in several major vine-producing countries in both hemispheres.” This trend helps to understand the decline that wine production has experienced, which although it rose a slight 0.6% last year, moving away from the historical minimum of 2024, is still 9.4% below the average for the last five years. The data is not explained solely by the loss of hectares. The weather also comes into play. Is everything negative? No. The OIV too has detected markets in which the trend is clearly positive, such as Portugal or Brazil, which has significantly expanded the area dedicated to vineyards and has also increased its production. Furthermore, although exports may have faltered in the last year, the organization recalls that the value of world trade remains at “significantly higher levels” than those recorded before the pandemic. A certain balance is also appreciated from the sector. “A third consecutive year of relatively low global production means that production and consumption are generally in balance, minimizing the impact of lower consumption on stock levels,” clarify from the OIV before remembering that their merchandise is not only destined for wineries where it is bottled and sold as wine. Every year around 30 million hectoliters are reserved for industrial uses, such as distillation or the production of vinegar, wine derivatives and spirits. Images | Svetlana Gumerova (Unsplash) and OIV In Xataka | The European Union believes it has a solution for the decline of wine in Spain: plucking the “green” grapes in La Rioja

In 1945 someone bottled 75 centiliters of wine in Burgundy. And now that wine is the most expensive in history: 700,000 euros

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With 812,500 dollars in your pocket (almost 700,000 euros, at the exchange rate) you can buy a good house in a wealthy neighborhood, embark on a business adventure or simply face life with much more peace of mind, at least on a financial level. In New York there are those who have decided to use that amount of money on something very different: buy a bottle of wine most expensive ever sold at auction, a very exclusive burgundy made from a 1945 vintage that has shattered the previous record, which It dated from 2018. This is still ironic if you take into account that the wine industry (at a general level and in France in particular) does not go through his best moment. An $812,500 wine? That’s how it is. The milestone was reached a few days ago, during an auction held in New York. Of course neither the wine nor the date were normal. The sale was closed during bidding Acker’s Pauléeone of the reference events for wine collectors in the world and (especially) lovers of wines from the Burgundy region, France. Those responsible they boast that in just three days sales of 25 million dollars were made and a good handful of records were achieved. Among all of them, however, there is one that arouses interest beyond the world of viticulture: the bottle for which the most money has been paid in a bid. And what is it like? Special, of course. The piece in question is a 750-milliliter bottle of Romanée-Conti 1945. Said like that, it may not seem like a big deal, but there are several reasons why this wine is so attractive to wine lovers. To begin with, its history. The broth in question was made with grapes collected in 1945 in Romanée-Contiwhich is interesting in itself. Not only because of the symbolic value of that date (the end of World War II). It was also the last harvest before the winery decided to uproot its vineyards to replant them, strengthening them against phylloxeraa plague that dealt a severe blow to the European wine industry, especially in the 19th century. This peculiarity made the 1945 vintage an object of desire for collectors around the world. Not only was it good for Burgundy itself, but it marked a before and after in Romanée-Conti’s production. To make matters worse, there are very few bottles of that vintage. Only 600 were produced. If we trust the most trained palates, the wine obtained at that time also offers a “depth and complexity” difficult to find in other broths. Is it so extraordinary? John Kapon, president of Acker, gives an idea how extraordinary it is to have a bottle like that. “I have had the privilege of tasting the 1945 Romanée-Conti three times in my life, but I have not tried it again in more than 20 years and probably never will again.” “To this day it is still the best wine I have ever tasted. The 1945 vintage was the last harvested before the vineyard was replanted in 1947. As a result of the fight against phylloxera, for many years production was reduced to only 10%. What was made was almost impossible to acquire.” Does it stand out for something else? Yes. Acker stands out that the bottle that has just been auctioned for almost 700,000 euros was part of the personal cellar of Robert Drouhinthe late patriarch of the Drouhin and a reference in the world of wines and more specifically Burgundy. It is not a minor detail because it affects the history (and especially the traceability) of the bottle, giving it even more value. Is it just wine? No. It is also a magnet for investors. Proof that the Romanée-Conti 1945 is exceptional is that the record has been ‘taken from itself’. Right now the Guinness World Records identifies as “the most expensive wine sold at auction” a bottle of that same vintage that reached $558,000 during an auction organized by Sthevby’s in New York in 2018. That its price has gone from $558,000 to $812,500 in less than a decade shows that, in addition to a wine with oenological and historical value, French bottles are an interesting asset from an investment point of view. The Telegraph assures In any case, the (secret) buyer is a citizen from outside France who was moved by his love for vines, not by dollars. A great irony. That a bottle of wine sells for almost 700,000 euros is striking in itself, but it is even more so when we remember that the operation catches the sector at low times. Not that of luxury, but that of wine. For some time now, the indicators used by the industry have pointed to an undeniable and prolonged decrease in consumption or at least a stagnationin the best of cases. His future is not too rosy either. a report The recent European Union (EU) report on agriculture anticipates that demand will fall by 0.9% annually until 2035, leaving per capita consumption at approximately 19.3 liters, significantly lower than the figure recorded at the beginning of the last decade. Images | Acker Wines and EU Via | DAP In Xataka | Europe had placed its hopes in China to continue selling wine to the world. They didn’t have “morality”

the European recipe to save the wine crisis

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Touring La Rioja in autumn is to enter an impressive sea of ​​color in the form of small yellow, orange and red trees. However, this characteristic bucolic landscape will change in the coming years following Europe’s plan: uproot vineyards. Paradoxically, from the same place from which they have been receiving funds for decades to promote the expansion of the sector. The EU Wine package. It is Europe’s roadmap to manage the crisis that the sector is going through and was agreed in December 2025. How? Going from expansion to contraction of supply administratively. Thus, it favors the destruction of productive vineyards definitively and voluntarily with incentives. In addition, the plantation system is made more flexible, extending deadlines and exempting from fines those who decide not to use their plantation authorizations. On a commercial level, Brussels is committed to modernization and added value over volume, consolidating alternatives such as non-alcoholic wines and digital labeling with QR codes. Why it is important. To begin with, due to the economic magnitude of the sector in the EU and what these definitive goodbyes imply: it supports 2.9 million jobs and contributes more than 130,000 million euros to the community GDP, according to the report “Economic, social and environmental importance of the wine sector in the EU” by the European Wine Business Committee prepared by PwC. Rioja has recently opened the aid application deadline and offers between 2,300-2,600 euros per hectare. But also because the EU plan involves applying the same measures for different realities. By not distinguishing between regions with large surpluses (Bordeaux) and areas with more balanced markets (such as Rioja or Duero), there is a risk of destroying agricultural capital of incalculable value. The drama is not that about “bad wine”, but that the market can no longer absorb even wines with Designation of Origin. Context. For decadesthe Common Agricultural Policy subsidized vineyards by protecting minimum prices, which distanced the farmer from a market reality in which supply exceeded demand. This approach generated large structural surpluses: since the 80s There is the term “wine lake” to refer to that overproduction derived from central planning that ignored the change in consumer habits. We drink less and less wine and The new generations are not so interested. Nevertheless, Spain more or less holds the type although it is not immune to changing habits: people drink less frequently and more selectively and the alcohol-free options. Europe tried some patchesbut the wine package is the current and most drastic response to the problem that the agrarian policy itself created. Evolution of global wine consumption. Source: International Organization of Wine and Vine La Rioja, ground zero. La Rioja has already made a move opening the aid period for the green harvesta first step that this year seeks to identify those who are willing, in the near future, to say goodbye definitively to their vines. What is “Green Harvest”? Destroy the grapes before they ripen. There is a key nuance: 15 extra points are awarded to those who commit to uprooting their vines forever in the future. The impact of the measure. The consequences of this plan are measured in terms of feasibility and territory: On an economic level, while the green harvest is paid between 2,300 and 2,600 euros per hectare, the definitive grubbing is estimated between 4,000 and 6,000 euros/hectare (in France). In any case, the basis of the aid seeks to reach the professional whose income depends exclusively on the countryside, trying to avoid the collapse of the rural economy (for example, in Rioja). Loss of assets. The uprooting destroys irreversible agricultural capital. In areas where there is no alternative or the sector’s roots are deep, such as La Rioja (honoring the slogan: the land with a wine name), it can be a catalyst for the abandonment of the territory and a change in its landscape. Towards a luxury wine. Or a wine without. The sector is moving towards a model of less and more, a shift towards adding value to the product. In short, the wine that remains on the market is scarcer and can defend higher prices. Likewise, its survival depends on accepting that wine is no longer a mass consumption product, but rather a value-added good adapted to new trends. In Xataka | For the first time in history the possibility of a Mediterranean without wine is beginning to appear on the horizon In Xataka | Green squares in the middle of the desert: Namibia’s “miracle” to fill Europe’s supermarkets with grapes Cover | Shaury

The wine industry believed it had its new El Dorado in China. Until China asked its officials to stop drinking

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a few days ago Dynasty Fine Winesa wine company listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, had to share the class of information that makes shareholders’ coffee (or wine, as the case may be) choke: their 2025 profit forecast has plummeted more than 50% with respect to 2024. The news might not have interest beyond its board if it were not for the fact that it connects with a larger trend: changes in the Chinese market that have led to the Asian giant ceasing to be the inexhaustible gold mine that the sector imagined in his day. And in part it is due to the guidelines on morality by Xi Jinping. What has happened? That the Western alcohol industry’s dream of finding a new big gold mine in China seems to be slowly receding. And this is especially noticeable in wine cellars. After years of accelerated growth, in which the Asian giant seemed increasingly interested in wines from Australia or France, demand has started to slow down. The signs are clear. has fallen per capita consumption, imports, production and there are companies such as Treasury Wine Estates, Pernord Ricard, Diageo or Dinasty Fine that have seen how it gets complicated the panorama in the country. China is no longer in the news for increasing its world import quota from 1 to 8% in record time to make headlines for the drop in demand. What does the data say? There are many indicators to pull from. Of all, perhaps the most eloquent is the one published by the Interprofessional Wine Organization of Spain (OIVE), based in turn on Chinese customs data. The organization recently revealed that in 2025 imports suffered a decline of 26.7% in volume, although the increase in the average price reduced the fall to 14.6% in terms of value. The “prick” affected exporters like France or Chile. Is it the only indicator? Not at all. Another producing country that has also suffered the ups and downs in the Chinese market is Australia. Although the wineries there received good news in March 2024when Xi Jinpuing lifted the tariffs that penalized his wine exports, the joy was short-lived. A few months ago Wine Australia published a report in which it recognizes that shipments of merchandise to other countries were reduced by 6% in volume and 8% in value in 2025, a decline that is partly explained by the fall in two markets: the United States (-12%) and especially the Chinese one, which contracted another 17%. Are only imports falling? No. Just a year ago the University of Adelaide published a study which shows that the changes in the Chinese wine market are much deeper and more complex. Per capita consumption, for example, skyrocketed during the first decade of the century, then registered fluctuations until 2016 and from that year on it suffered a decline that extends at least until 2022, the last year analyzed. The production curve is not good either. “We have seen how the (Chinese) market has completely dried up,” he complained recently in statements to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) the owner of a winery that exports wine from New South Wales, Australia. Your case is illustrative. Until 2019, 40% of its profits came from China. The collapse in sales in that market has now translated, however, into a surplus that will force him to let 30% of his grapes rot this year. Has the market changed that much? It seems so. In November 2025 the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP) published an extensive report which made its premise clear from the same headline: “European wines stay on the shelves while China looks for cheaper drinks.” In the chronicle he talks about a contraction in the consumption of both premium wines and traditional spirits, while other options such as craft beer seem to be gaining ground. The information is accompanied by a graph that reflects the fall in wine imports between 2017 and 2023. If there were any doubts about whether the trend only affects European or Australian wineries, a few weeks ago The New York Times public another report in which he explains how the drop in demand affects the distilleries of Maotaiin China itself, dedicated to the production of baijiua powerful liquor. Why is demand falling? There are several factors. Influences the economic slowdown and the hangover real estate crisiswhich have in turn affected spending on alcohol, especially when we talk about expensive imported wines. There are also analysts who they point to a change in consumer habits, especially among the youngest. Recently Global Timesa Chinese newspaper linked to the communist government, published a report in which he told precisely how the new generations show less interest in drinking. In that aspect they connect with other societies that live the same phenomenon. Is it the only reason? No. There is another. And although a priori it may seem minor or secondary, it is relevant enough for WSJ I related it directly with the decline of the wine market. Which is it? The position of the Chinese Government. A few months ago the Executive headed by Xi Jinping issued a strict guideline in which it prohibits the serving of alcohol, luxury dishes or cigarettes at official meals. The objective: end excesses. “Extravagant banquets and excessive alcohol consumption were a regular part of official life in China. But such excesses, long criticized by the public, have come under increasing scrutiny. As part of a new push to ensure discipline, China has imposed a widespread ban on alcohol at official receptions,” it proclaims. a statement published in May 2025 by the Information Office, which warns: “Excessive alcohol deteriorates the image of officials.” And is it being fulfilled? Although it cites the rest of the economic and cultural factors that influence demand, WSJ points out the government guideline as one of the factors that explain the change in trend in China. He even shares a concrete example: last year during the conference of a state-owned … Read more

For the first time in history the possibility of a Mediterranean without wine is beginning to appear on the horizon

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The same week we found out that Nabimia is flooding Europe of grapes grown in the middle of the desert, a map goes viral that says that the continent’s wine-growing areas have been moving north for decades. What’s the point of all this? Is it even possible? Let’s see it. Let’s start with the map. In recent days, the map is by Sebastian Gräff for The European Correspondent and shows how, in Europe, the “wine-growing areas” have been shifting for 60 years due to the effect of climate change. Not only has it gone viral, it has also become very controversial. Just look at the map to see that historical areas full of vineyards (such as the Jerez countryside) do not appear on it. And it is not a specific failure: there are ‘gaps’ of this type in practically all of the countries that come out. And yet, this isn’t exactly a problem. How is that not a problem? Because what the map represents is the Huglin index: one of the many indices that tries to determine the areas with optimal conditions for growing vines. It is based on a viticultural principle: that each grape variety needs a certain amount of heat to be grown successfully. The Huglin index tries to make an estimate, but (due to the nature of meteorological data) it is not useful for concrete detail. The best-known example is the slopes: having one orientation or another can change the average daily temperature of the area by more than two degrees. It is rather a tool to classify areas, predict ripening and plan the cultivation of certain varieties. But a tool that only makes sense in its context. And the map is not its context. I mean, it’s not what it’s intended for, but that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting. At the end of the day, climate change is one of the most important “game changers” in the world of vines: we must not forget that, in 2024, the harvest took place earliest of the Marco de Jerez since there are records and experts fear that, if the trend continues like this, there will come a time when it will not be viable to grow grapes. In the same way, there are huge regions of the world that they are about to be able grow vines: UK wine production has doubled in a very short time and indeed the area planted with vines has increased 75% in the last five years. They are not yet large amounts, but the harvests are getting better and the sector is moving more and more money. And the expectation is that it will go further, of course. Bad omens. All this outlines something that researchers are beginning to take very seriously: the first time, in historical times, the Mediterranean run out of useful vines for wine production. In this sense, the Jumilla disaster of 2024 serves as a warning to navigators. Wine is entering unknown territory and we are going to bear the worst part. Image | Sebastian Graff In Xataka | The oldest wine in the world is “Andalusian” and has been resting for 2,000 years. If it’s good or not, no one wants to know.

One of the biggest wine critics is French and has toured China. There is no good news for French wine

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TO Michel Bettane he likes wine. In fact, it is more than a hobby: he has developed a career around it, until it became one of the wine critics most influential in the world. For two decades he worked at ‘La Revue du vin de France’, a prestigious magazine that covers current events in the wine industry, until he decided to become independent and, together with a colleague from the magazine, founded the Betanne and Desseauve Guide. Bettane is one of the most authoritative voices worldwide in terms of wines and one with weight within the sector. He recently completed a tour of China in which has tasted more than 300 premium Chinese wines and its conclusion is as resounding as it is hurtful to French pride. The chinese wines They are superior to many of those found in France. And this guy doesn’t try cheap wines, but rather high-end ones. Chinese wines >> French wines These incendiary statements came after the sixth edition of the Bettane + Desseauve Wine Tasting in China. Held in Beijing and Shangri-La (Yunnan), the critic and five other international wine experts tasted more than 300 premium wines produced in China. Bettane has indicated that China is experimenting an “amazing awakening of the terroir”, and it is something that is not out of place if we take into account the international position of the country’s industry. If just 15 years ago it was a desert, now They are sneaking into the conversation like a power. The strategy of the Chinese industry is not to attack in quantity, but in quality, and for this there are wineries that have studied in the most powerful wine and wine regions in Europe to learn and then apply that knowledge to their field. Taking advantage of the particularities of each of its regions, there are wines that are becoming some of the most sought-after without having a French surname. Bettane stated that what has impressed him most is the technical precision when controlling the grape ripening and fermentation processes. “We found almost no wine with serious defects”he assured, adding that “the overall strength of the production standard is, in fact, higher than what we often find in our annual tastings in France.” It looks like a Scottish castle, but it’s a Chinese winery Above all, he highlighted two wine regions: Ningxia and Yunnan. We have already talked about Ningxia recently in Xatakaa very complicated area in winter for which they have developed a technique that consists of burying the vines so that the snow does not affect them. Those responsible have “copied” Bordeauxand it is something that catches the critic’s attention. The other is Yunnan, one that, he says, left him speechless. Especially for a white wine, a ‘Shangri-La Chardonnay‘ which, for Bettane, “can play in the league of the world’s great whites”. A wine strategy modeled on that of smartphones The interesting thing is something that the critic comments about the change in strategy of the Chinese producers, and it is something similar to what has happened in the technological world, especially with the smartphone industry. At first, as happened with Ningxia producers, they dedicated themselves to “copying” Bordeaux, but now Bettane has seen how are beginning to experiment and discover synergies between the grapes, the land and its climatic conditions instead of simply continuing to imitate the European model. As I say, it is similar to what happens with the mobile phone industry and, specifically, with an Apple with which all Chinese brands are compared at any given time. When Apple presents a new feature for the iPhone, we begin to see a rapid adaptation of Chinese mobile phones to include those features, while adding some new functions. The iPhone dynamic island and his twin in other brandsvisual elements in the operating system or the photo button (which existed long before Apple integrated it, but the influence of the apple brand is what it is) are three examples. For Bettane, the possibilities that China’s vast territory offers when it comes to creating and perfecting grape varieties are “unlimited.” And if you read me from France or are a lover of La Mancha wine and right now your fist is clenched… at least we have the cheese left. That, at the moment, has no Asian rival. Images | WBC, Treaty Port In Xataka | If the question is what is the future of wine, more and more Bordeaux wineries are clear about it: non-alcoholic wine

Olive oil is following in the footsteps of wine. And that happens through the pre-umification of the oil mills

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There are few pleasures in this life that surpass that of dipping a good bread with plenty of crumbs in a bowl with quality olive oil. It depends on the time and the point of the roller coaster that is the olive oil priceit is something that we can do more or less frequently, and to weather the situation there are oil mills that are reimagining themselves. From simple industrial warehouses and cooperatives closed to the public, they are being transformed into living museums about oil, in the purest style of the wine cellars. It is the pre-umification of the industrial warehouse. roller coaster. Talking about olive oil is talking about Spain. We are the great engine on a global scale, contributing more than 40% of world olive oil. After some disastrous harvests24/25 has recovered, with a production of 1.4 million tons, and a similar production is expected for 25/26. Despite the good feelings, It is still a complicated segment because weather conditions can easily transform the scenario. Prices at the beginning of 2024 skyrocketed because the previous harvest was hit by drought, and oil mills have begun to take measures to protect themselves against price fluctuations and, above all, to have a stable income flow throughout the year. From wine tourism to oil tourism. If you’ve ever wondered why everything is now a subscription, even when it doesn’t make sense, it’s because companies are looking for a constant flow of money. A single large payment is no longer worth it: they want more distributed, but consistent income. There is one grape harvest a year and the wineries reacted by converting themselves into wine museums. In these visits to wineries we see how the product is made, but it is also a cultural and gustatory journey, with tastings of the product itself and others that “match” well, such as cheese. The oil mills are doing exactly the same. Of these cold and industrial facilities, some are moving to design buildings that combine the production of the oil, its culture and the tasting. It is the search for oleotourism through the pre-umification of the oil mill, and it is something that has drawn on this much more consolidated wine tourism. From the industrial warehouse to the museum. The idea is to offer a complete sensory experience in which there is a story about the territory in which it is located, the production of the oil, the local culture and, obviously, the tasting. At the same time, thematic routes can be developed with cheese factories or wineries, but also with agreements with rural accommodations and restaurants. These new oil mills also behave like a museum, since historical pieces and machinery are exhibited, as well as a review of the manufacturing tradition of the place. And, of course, there are direct sales stores that not only offer the main product, but any that may be related, such as cheese, oil, local sweets or even ceramic pieces in which to store that oil. Spanish tourism websites now stand out oil mills as exponents of modern tourism. There are oil mills that are converted and others that are more ’boutique’ that were born with the visitor in mind. LA Almazara. Jaen is a land of olive trees and there are several oil mills of this style, such as ‘EVOOland‘in Baeza or the Olive Culture Museum at Hacienda la Laguna. Ciudad Real is another important oil focus –with the healthiest oil in the world in 2024-, with examples like ‘Infanta Elena Museum of Contemporary Art‘ and more “at the foot of the olive tree” experiences that teach cultivation techniques, production, landscape and, for about 20 euros per person, of course, a tasting. Interior of LA Almazara But if there is a point worldwide that right now screams the terms “pre-umified oil mill” louder, that is ‘LA Almazara LA Organic’ in Ronda. It is the same concept that we have reviewed so far: a cultural center dedicated to olive oil that combines restoration, accommodation in a farmhouse and tasting, all around what they have called “the first signature oil mill”. The prices of this pre-umification? Specifically, those at LA Almazara are in line with others, between 10-30 euros, but with options to spend… whatever you want, with an “EXCLUSIVE visit” that closes the oil mill for you and takes you there by helicopter. I go to one and dip some good bread… so happy. Images | The Almazara, Wine tourismSpain In Xataka | China is devouring all technology sectors: the surprising thing is that it is also making good wine

Spanish wine promised them very happy after the end of drought. The price of grapes is changing everything

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The wine industry is facing a complicated year. In the eye of the hurricane, the price of grapes, such a low price that is leading farmers to stand up war. A problem that It has been hanging on the sector From before even the beginning of the harvest. The food chain law. The Unió Llauradora, Agrarian Organization of Valencian, has been the last sector group in denounce the situation of the grape market. The organization has claimed to claim Ministry of Agriculture Valenciana A study on the production costs for the grapes used for wine production, a study they consider could “endorse possible complaints for breach of the food chain law.” This legislation is responsible for regulating “the operation and vertebration of the food chain.” A law that seeks, According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foodimprove the efficacy and competitiveness of the sector while reducing the imbalance in commercial relations. According to explained in a statement The Llauradora Unió, this legislation “the only instrument that producers possess to defend their interests (…) in the face of commercial distribution abuses.” 20% less. Farmers do not consider that the price at which wine producers buy the grape is fair. According to the forecasts of the Valencian Sector Association, the price of grapes could fall by more than 20% this year. Expectations v. reality. The Valencian field is the last to join the complaints of other vinification grape -producing regions. The harvest seemed to be abundant, with some areas relying on a recovery in production also 20%. This increase in supply would be the great engine of the price drop, a decrease such that for some wine producing regions they have indicated in recent months that they would not allow them to cover production costs. To this problem, the Unió Llauradora adds another in the fact that its harvest is not even reaching the expected volume at first. Despite this, prices, based on more optimistic expectations, They continue to be low. “The rains recorded at certain times of the campaign were a relief and contributed to the recovery of the vine The association stands out. One crisis after another. The current one is just one of the crises that the sector has had to face in recent years. The increase that some wine regions have seen in production responds rather to a recovery compared to recent years, marked by the drought that put a good part of the agricultural sector against the strings (even the farmer). In Xataka | During centuries Galicia was a thriving land of olive groves with unique varieties in the world. What changed it is still a mystery Image | Dailos Medina / Pixabay

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