Hard luck to big Aussie wine brand Hardy's Wines which had its website hacked over the New Year. Instead of the usual slickly-presented story of Thomas Hardy, who founded the brand near Adelaide in South Australia in 1878:
visitors were treated to a bunch of dubious messages asking them to click a link to update their web browser, quickly replaced by a terse indication that all was not well in the McLaren Vale IT department:
We hope they're back online soon. Meanwhile here's one of theirs we liked: the Hardy's Voyage Chardonnay Pinot Grigio 2016.
Champagne is flat
UK sales of champagne are down 28% in the last year and other sparkling wines are also doing badly, the Guardian reports. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) says the drop is due in part to a rise in duty but also the result of young people drinking less than they used to.
But there's good news for some sections of the drinks trade: cream and non-cream liqueurs are up, and the WSTA expects more growth in 2020.
Going crackers for English wine and cheese
The British government reports a 130% increase in production of English and Welsh wine in 2018 compared to the previous year, alongside a UK cheese export market now worth £675m.
Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) predicts UK wine production will reach around 40 million bottles by 2040, and famed French champagne houses Taittinger and Pommery are buying land in the south of England.
Simon Robinson, chairman of WineGB, said : "The UK’s traditional method sparkling wines have been gaining international recognition over many years now, and as our success continues, we anticipate even further growth overseas in the years to come. Wine tourism in the UK is flourishing and we are producing some still wines which are earning their place on top wine lists. We are proud of the ongoing success of this industry and are looking to the future with confidence!"
Washington wine
No, not DC, but Washington state. US winemaking might be dominated by California but further up the west coast the Washington wine industry is thriving, with more than 1000 wineries now in production. Six new AVAs - American Viticultural Areas - are being added to the current 14, so keep an eye out for Washington wine in the future.
Trends for 2020, or are they?
We keep our fingers on the pulse of the wine business but it's always handy to get a steer on what's likely to be the next big thing - or what's probably not, according to this list of wine trends you don't need to worry about.
Festive fun(?)
Finally, we're rounding off the Christmas/New Year hols with a festive plonk joke, from John Harrison (@allotmentjohn) on Twitter:
Q: What’s the most popular Christmas wine? - A: But I don’t like Brussels sprouts! - Hope you have good Christmas everyone!
— John Harrison (@allotmentjohn) 25 December 2019
It works better out loud.
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