from a third lockdown . Since the beginning of 2021 we have been locked away in our own homes , yet again . So , what has this done to the sale and consumption of wine over the last few months ? Well , the reports are that only halfway through ‘ Dry January ’, and only ten days into our third lockdown , alcohol sales soared . According to reports , weekly wine sales at Waitrose went up by a third at this time . A recent YouGov poll has also identified that a third of those attempting ‘ Dry January ’ had already had a drink by the end of week one ! For many , therefore , lockdown seems to have brought new meaning to the word ‘ house ’ wine !
5 . Trade wars
Now , this came as a bit of a surprise to me ! Over the last few years China has bought close to 40 % of Australia ' s wine exports … and Australia produces and exports a lot of wine . In recent years it has been reported that China has actually bought more bottled wine from Australia than it has from France . All great , if you are an Australian wine producer ? Well , it was until China recently slapped in excess of a 200 % tariff on bottled Australian wine . These tariffs will , as a minimum , triple the price of a bottle of Australian wine . Most analysts put this decision , by China , down to politics and to deteriorating relations between the two countries ( think Australia ’ s 2018 decision to ban Huawei from its 5G tender ; Australia not recognising China ' s claim in the contested South China Sea ; Australia ’ s supposed " wanton interference in Hong Kong , Xinjiang and Taiwan "). China says , on the other hand , that the decision is based on legitimate trade reasons and has accused Australia of illegal dumping practices . I will let you make your own mind up on which account you find the most plausible ! Anyway , what are Australia doing about this ? According to reports it plans to refer China ' s wine export blockade to the World Trade Organisation , as tensions between the two nations continue to grow . One to keep an eye on I guess – but good luck there !
6 . Wine and its medicinal benefits It has long been reported that drinking red wine , in moderation ,
has many health benefits . Red wine is made from crushed dark grapes and is a source of resveratrol ( a natural antioxidant in the skin of grapes ). Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in the body and , therefore , has a potential effect on many diseases . Studies have suggested that red wine has positive links with cardiovascular disease , hypertension , certain types of cancer , type two diabetes , neurological disorders and atherosclerosis . However , on the medicinal front , something new has just hit the headlines . Researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto ( FCUP ) have identified molecules , from Port wine , which can be used in the development of drugs for the treatment of skin diseases , such as cancer or psoriasis . There is never a dull moment in the wine world !
7 . Underwater wine
Despite some regulators have questioned this , underwater wine ageing seems to be developing as something of a trend in the wine world . A number of trials have taken place , with one Argentinian winemaker recently reporting ‘ stunning ’ differences between Malbec blends aged in crates beneath the Atlantic Ocean and those aged on land . Others are reporting that wines aged , or cellared , underwater are developing different characteristics to those aged or stored on dry land . Watch this space !
8 . Wine in space
Talking of space , some of you may have read the recent story of twelve bottles of Château Petrus 2000 that were sent into space and spent fourteen months orbiting the earth on the International Space Station . Until recently , and until their arrival back on earth , the identity of these bottles had been a closely guarded secret . The aim of the space mission was to study the effects of microgravity and space radiation on the most important components of wine . Now back on planet earth , some of this wine has been tasted and analysed against the same wine , from the same vintage , that was not sent into orbit . The preliminary result : " Unanimously , these two wines were rated as very great wines , which means that the stay in
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