Overview
- Le Figaro now describes the wine as almost a vin de garde, marking a reassessment of a style long dismissed as purely a party drink.
- Winemakers report more reliable ripening from climate change, while low rainfall tightened 2025 volumes in the region.
- UK interest is rebounding as supermarkets and independents widen selections and Swansea’s citywide festivities deliver a notable economic boost.
- In Japan, Suntory is bringing in about 37,000 cases, roughly 2% fewer than last year, as Mercian pivots from imports to domestic nouveau offerings.
- A weaker yen and higher transport costs are pressuring Japan’s market, which Suntory says is now about one-seventh of its 2004 peak.