Team C&J
Here’s what happened in the last week in wine. Santa Margherita has opened a luxury suite at Walker Hotel Greenwich Village in Manhattan, offering guests a unique experience for $4,051 a night. The suite includes an on-demand supply of Santa Margherita Rosé, a 50,000 rose petal installation, a six-course Italian-inspired dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Society Café, and a 24/7 on-call content concierge to take pictures for social media. Meanwhile, Champagne yields dropped 4% in the first half of 2023 due to declining sales and shifting consumer preferences. Catena Zapata in Argentina was voted number one in the World’s Best Vineyards 2023 awards, and Gary’s Wine & Marketplace in Napa Valley is closing its physical location. The FBI raided Sherry-Lehmann, a wine and spirits retailer in New York City, due to customer complaints of undelivered bottles and missing fine wines. Australia’s Riverland wine growing region is struggling due to bad weather and lower wine demand, leading vintners to abandon their vineyards. On a positive note, the Paso Robles CAB Collective has released a Sustainable Agriculture Action Plan to address challenges faced by the Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux wine production industry in Paso Robles.
Santa Margherita opens US$4,051-a-night rosé retreat in New York.
Yes, you read that headline correctly. Santa Margherita has opened a luxury suite at Walker Hotel Greenwich Village in Manhattan that invites guests to wake up and smell the rosé. For just over $4,000 a night, guests can have their dedicated suite butler pour them on-demand glasses of Santa Margherita Rosé, experience 50,000 rose petal installation, enjoy a six-course Italian-inspired dinner at hotel restaurant Society Café, and a 24/7 on-call content concierge who will rush to your room to take pictures of you at your command, because you know, it’s all about the ‘gram.
Burgundy Counts the Cost of Hail Storms | Wine-Searcher News & Features
A torrent of recent storms may impact this year’s vintage in Burgundy. Hail and heavy rain can damage flowering buds, knock immature fruit from the plant, and damage leaves that the vine needs to produce photosynthesis.
Champagne yields to drop in 2023 as sales decline – The Drinks Business
Champagne yields dropped 4% in the first half of 2023. Champagne yields are expected to continue decreasing in 2023 due to a decline in sales. The reduction in production is attributed to various factors, including economic uncertainties and shifting consumer preferences. The decrease in Champagne sales poses challenges to the industry as it navigates through the changing market conditions.
On July 12th, Catena Zapata was voted number one in the world at the World’s Best Vineyards 2023 award ceremony for over 125 VIPs held in La Rioja, Spain. We can’t say we’re surprised by this announcement. We have been so impressed with Catena Zapata wines.
Tim Atkin MW, who hosted the event, said of the winery: “Bodega Catena Zapata is a driving force in Argentine winemaking. A winery that played a pivotal role in resurrecting Malbec’s fortunes, pushing Mendoza’s vineyards higher into the Andean foothills, and delving deeply into the country’s many terroirs. The family even founded the Catena Institute of Wine to scientifically examine every aspect of the local soils, rocks, and microorganisms and their effect on the vines.”
Gary’s Wine & Marketplace to close Napa Valley store
Napa Valley institution Gary’s Wine & Marketplace is closing down shop. Located next to St. Helena’s Press restaurant, the New Jersey-based wine shop said via Instagram, “… Despite our best efforts and due to factors beyond our control, including fires, the pandemic, and many other issues, sustaining our Napa Valley physical location has become increasingly challenging. We are truly saddened by this transition.”
Gary’s will be open until mid-August as they liquidate their remaining inventory of wine, specialty goods, and wine accessories.
Luxury Wine Shop Sherry-Lehmann Raided By FBI | VinePair
The FBI conducted a raid on Sherry Lehmann, a prominent wine and spirits retailer in New York City. Customers reported not receiving bottles purchased via Sherry-Lehmann, and others reported bottles of fine wines “missing” that were stored in the company’s Wine Caves.
The Riverland’s Misery Is a Warning | Meininger’s International
Australia’s Riverland wine growing region is struggling as a crippling combination of bad weather and lower demand for wine grapes is causing vintners to abandon their vineyards in South Australia’s Riverland.
Vineyards in Riverland have been hit by disaster after disaster. In 2021, a five-year wine tariff of 218% was imposed on Australian wine by China, following a dispute between the two countries. In 2022, the region was ravaged by floods. According to wine forecasters, “wine consumption is falling in major markets, from the USA to Germany, with repercussions for growers across the map. The reasons are many and varied, from the rise in health consciousness to the slowdown in the Chinese market to falling consumption generally. Inflationary pressures are also part of the story, with wine costing more because the price of glass, packaging and transport has risen. This has led to a paradoxical twist: normally, as prices rise, consumers reach for cheaper wines.”
Wine collective releases sustainable agriculture action plan – Paso Robles Daily News
The Paso Robles CAB Collective has unveiled its Sustainable Agriculture Action Plan, a pilot document aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by the Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux (CAB) wine production industry in Paso Robles. The plan aims to assist the wine industry by identifying barriers to implementing sustainable practices across vineyards, wineries, distribution, and marketing sectors.
There are 60 partners in the Collective, including some of our favorite Paso Robles wineries: Calcareous Vineyard and JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery.
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