The Wine News in 5 from JancisRobinson.com

This week Sam discusses the Old Vine Registry reaching a new milestone, frost in France, a new category for Asti, Sula’s purchase of a Moët Hennessy production facility in India, Georgia’s new law requiring state approval for the establishment of vineyards, an EU–Australia trade deal and harvest and growing season updates from South Africa and Washington State.

30 March 2026 – This newscast states that, under the new free-trade agreement, Australian products labelled ‘Prosecco’ will no longer be allowed to be sold to the EU. Australian ‘Prosecco’ has not been allowed to be sold in the EU since the protection of the Prosecco GI within the EU, effective 2009. The new EU–Australia deal restricts exports of Australian ‘Prosecco’ to any country.

You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/old-vine-registry-milestone-frost-france-asti-rose-sula-expands-eu-australia-trade-deal.

This week Sam discusses the death of Michel Rolland, the effect of rising oil prices on the wine industry, Argentina’s declining consumption, Germany’s changing export market, California’s shrinking vineyards, THC drinks in the US and Oregon’s new sparkling-wine producer organisation.

You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/rip-michel-rolland-california-vineyards-shrink-method-oregon-launched.

*This episode misstates that Michel Rolland was 79 at the time of his death – he was 78.

This week Sam discusses flooding in Bordeaux and Victoria, Champagne’s emission reductions, the plight of two co-operatives in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Jackson Family’s recent closure and acquisition, gold mining in Victoria and the start of harvest in New Zealand and Australia.

You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/harvest-starts-down-under-jackson-family-news-pruning-kayak-french-co-ops-crisis.

This week Sam discusses Trump tariffs, flooding in Bordeaux and
Victoria, lawsuits in France over copper fungicides, the complete buyout of Freixenet Cava by Germany’s Henkell group and bribery at Southern Glazer’s.

You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/flooding-bordeaux-and-victoria-bribery-southern-glazers-tariff-update.

This week Sam discusses this morning’s ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States, a laundry list of sales, closures and lay-offs in the US, the sale of Ridgeview Wine Estate in the UK, Wales hiking the minimum price of alcohol and Spain’s vineyard area dropping to the lowest level in 50 years.

You can read the transcript of this newscast (with linked news sources) at https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/scotus-rules-tariffs-downsizing-us-and-spains-vineyard-area-shrinks.