Chris Mercer

Bristol

Freelance Editor and Journalist at Freelance

Freelance Editor and Journalist, ex-Digi editor @Decanter. Long suffering Nottingham Forest fan. Prone to occasional opinions, which are mine.

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Articles

Wine investment: Taking the pulse of Bordeaux 2024 en primeur

2 days ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Bordeaux châteaux have significantly cut en primeur release prices for their 2024 vintage wines, but was it enough to rouse a lethargic market? Release prices at several leading châteaux were markedly lower than for other recent Bordeaux en primeur campaigns (see chart below). Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild 2024 (both 96pts, Decanter) were the cheapest iterations of these first growth wines on the market.
Oregon wine country hit by immigration raids

3 days ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Oregon wine country has been among areas recently targeted by agents working for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Willamette Valley Wineries Association said the local wine community had been shaken by two recent ‘enforcement actions’. It didn’t name any individuals, although local vineyard expert Moises Sotelo was detained by ICE agents in Newberg while on his way to work on 12 June, according to his family.
First for UC Davis as student wines released for sale

1 week ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

For the first time in its history, UC Davis said it is releasing wines produced by students, teaching staff and other faculty members for public sale. Its new nonprofit wine label, Hilgard631, has been more than 10 years in the making and follows a state law change in 2021. This allows the prestigious department of viticulture and oenology to transfer up to 20,000 gallons of wine to a nonprofit body for sale.
Billionaire Bill Koch’s wine cellar fetches record $28.8m at auction

1 week ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Billionaire US collector William I. ‘Bill’ Koch offered a portion of his vast wine cellar over three days via auction house Christie’s and total sales hit $28.8m (£21.2m), with several top lots beating high estimates. That’s a new record for ‘a single-owner wine collection sold in North America’, said Christie’s, which marked its return to the New York City wine auction scene in style.
English Pinot wine estate goes on sale at £1.65m - Decanter

1 week ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Chet Valley English wine estate in Norfolk, with vineyards planted to Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and several other grape varieties, has been put on the market by property agency Brown & Co.It is currently owned by John and Bridget Hemmant, who planted their first vines more than a decade ago. With a guide price of £1.65m, the sale offers a potential buyer the opportunity to parachute straight into the heart of the English wine scene.
US winery makes history with 'Châteauneuf-du-Pape grapes'

2 weeks ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

US winery Tablas Creek said it has achieved a decades-long mission to make single-varietal wines from all 14 traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape grape varieties that feature at Château de Beaucastel, one of the French appellation’s best-known producers. Muscardin, rarely seen beyond the Rhône and planted in California by Tablas Creek in 2019, is the newest arrival after a 25-case production run in the 2023 vintage.
DWWA 2025 results sneak preview: Styles to watch

2 weeks ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2025 results will be announced on Wednesday 18 June. A rigorous judging process has seen thousands of wines blind-tasted by almost 250 leading experts in their field, including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers. Specific medal winners remain a closely guarded secret, but several judges have offered a few personal tasting highlights as a sneak preview to results day.
Red wine and chocolate lovers find hope in flavonoid diet study

3 weeks ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

If an extra excuse were needed to enjoy a glass of red wine or bar of chocolate then new research extolling the virtues of a diet rich in compounds known as flavonoids may have provided it. Flavonoids are found in a wide range of food and drink, including tea, berries, apples and oranges. Tantalisingly, they also turn up in red wine and dark chocolate, although the researchers focused more strongly on other sources in their depiction of a flavonoid ‘five-a-day’ plan.
Coming soon: Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 results

3 weeks ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Hotly anticipated results in the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2025 will be published on Wednesday 18 June, offering consumers an unrivalled window into superb bottles and a rich array of styles. Now in its 22nd year, DWWA is the world’s largest wine competition and its meticulous judging process means that producers and wine lovers can have the utmost confidence in every medal category, from Best In Show to Bronze.
Bordeaux 2024: Pichon Comtesse, Canon drop 20% in price

3 weeks ago | decanter.com | Chris Mercer

Pauillac’s Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, St-Emilion’s Château Canon and Pomerol’s Château Clinet continued a trend for price cuts in the Bordeaux 2024 en primeur campaign, following on from first growth Château Margaux 24 hours earlier. Pichon Comtesse 2024 debuted this morning (3 June) at €90 per bottle ex-négociant, which marks a return to release pricing last seen on the estate’s 2017 vintage, according to Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade.