The wine industry is in a state of flux, driven by both surprising demographic shifts and economic pressures across the Atlantic. This week’s news highlights a major turning point as Millennials officially overtake Boomers as the largest share of wine drinkers, challenging long-held marketing assumptions. Beyond the data, we feature the top bottles of 2025, explore the rising costs of wine in Europe, and recount a chaotic, high-speed chase through the Virginia countryside following the theft of a legendary bottle of Romanée-Conti.
WineBusiness – The Wine Industry is Worrying About the Wrong Age Cohort
In Wine Business, Sarah Brown reports that the U.S. wine industry has been worrying about the wrong generation. New findings from the Wine Market Council’s 2025 Benchmark Consumer Survey show that Millennials—not Boomers—now make up the largest share of wine drinkers, while Gen Z is rapidly increasing its participation as more of the cohort reaches legal drinking age. The data reveals a nine-million-person decline in core and marginal wine drinkers since 2023, driven largely by Boomers aging out of the category—forcing the industry to rethink who it should be targeting and how. From the article:
Fabric softener, country clubs, bar soap and breakfast cereals are just a few of the industries which older consumers claim Millennials have “killed” over the years for their lack of interest. But one industry the age group cannot be held liable for assassinating? Wine.
According to new data in the Wine Market Council’s (WMC) 2025 Benchmark Consumer Survey, the cohort not only accounts for the largest share of wine consumers – dethroning the baby boomers – but has also upped their consumption compared to 2023 when the survey was last conducted.
The 2025 survey samples nearly 5,000 U.S. adults over the age of 21, 34% of which identified as wine drinkers. Results were weighted according to U.S. census data for region, income, gender, ethnicity and education.
Wine Enthusiast – The Enthusiast 100: The Best Wines of 2025
In Wine Enthusiast, the 2025 Enthusiast 100 list compiles what the editors judge to be the 100 best wines of the year — shining a spotlight on bottles across countries and styles that turned heads in their tastings. The list is published annually and aims to capture wines that combine quality, character, and “that something special” that sets them apart for the year. The Top 10:
1 – Mastroberardino 2018 Stilèma Riserva Aglianico – Italy – 97
$179 – Aglianico
2 – Gusbourne 2016 51°N Traditional Method Sparkling Blend – England – 98
$370 – Sparkling Blend
3 – Saxum 2022 Heart Stone Vineyard Red Blend – USA – 98
$138 – Syrah/Grenache/Graciano/Mataro
4 – Tenuta San Guido 2022 Sassicaia – Italy – 98
$335 – Bordeaux-style Red Blend
5 – Holocene 2022 The Black Square Cabernet Sauvignon – USA – 98
$300 – Cabernet Sauvignon
6 – Château Pichon Baron 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon–Merlot – France – 98
$195 – Bordeaux Red Blend
7 – Clos Henri 2024 Waimaunga Windblown Clays Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand – 96
$30 – Sauvignon Blanc
8 – Passing Time 2022 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon – USA – 97
$110 – Cabernet Sauvignon
9 – Domaine Verzier 2022 Madone Syrah – France – 96
$42 – Syrah
10 – Poggio di Sotto 2020 Sangiovese Grosso – Italy – 98
$320 – Sangiovese
Decanter – Wine prices: Which is Europe’s most expensive country?
In Decanter, Chris Mercer reports on how the UK’s latest Budget decision to let alcohol duty rise with inflation will push wine prices even 
higher, reinforcing Britain’s position as one of Europe’s most expensive countries for wine. Drawing on data from the WSTA, the Pour Index, the WHO, and AAWE, Mercer outlines a continent-wide picture of rising wine costs, extreme duty disparities, and staggering inflation in several markets — with Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland topping Europe’s price charts while Spain and Portugal remain the cheapest places to buy a bottle. From the article:
Spain and Portugal were among the least expensive places to buy wine using this metric, with mid-prices of £4.36 and £4.35 per bottle respectively, while France was mid-table on £6.10.
All sorts of factors can affect wine prices, of course, from production volumes and costs to availability and winery reputations. Exchange rate swings, tariffs, duty and other levies, like value added tax (VAT), also play a part.
Washington Post – Theft Of $24,000 Wine Bottle Spurs High-Speed Chase Through Virginia Countryside
In The Washington Post, Dan Morse and Emily Heil report on a brazen high-end wine heist at L’Auberge Provençale in Virginia, where a duo posing as event planners stole six bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti worth $38,000, triggering a chaotic chase through the Shenandoah Valley that involved staff, a sommelier, and even a patron in a Porsche. One suspect — a 56-year-old woman from the UK — was caught, while the male accomplice escaped in an SUV with the restaurant’s most coveted bottle: a 2020 Romanée-Conti valued at $24,000. From the article:
Escorting the couple through his restaurant’s high-end wine cellar, Christian Borel grew uneasy — the woman with her rapid-fire questions, the man with his long overcoat wandering in and out of view.
As the three walked back upstairs, Borel couldn’t shake the feeling. He raced back down and spotted them: screw-top replacements where his finest wines had once been.
The thieves’ prize take — and until the past week the wine cellar’s prize occupant — was a 2020 Romanée-Conti, valued by Borel at $24,000. Like all the stolen bottles, it came from the hallowed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti estate in Burgundy. “The perfect pinot noir,” he said.
Belle Fiore Winery in Ashland, OR
Belle Fiore delivers a destination tasting experience where Old-World architecture meets Rogue Valley sunshine—big views, thoughtful hospitality, and a portfolio that balances classic and Mediterranean expressions.
2022 Cline Family Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel
Cline’s Ancient Vines Zinfandel continues to define accessible California heritage wine. The 2022 vintage draws from century-old Contra Costa vineyards to produce a plush, spice-laced expression of Zinfandel that’s both generous and finely balanced. With ripe berry fruit, savory depth, and soft oak framing, it’s one of the strongest vintages of this long-running classic.
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence, Italy
A fashion-forward culinary adventure at the heart of Gucci Garden, Gucci Osteria serves contemporary Italian cuisine infused with global flair—under the creative direction of chef Karime López—within a lush, design-obsessed setting.
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