Finally, some clear progress for modern grapes in Europe?

 Such a simple idea, and yet it's been illegal for what seems like forever in Europe: use grapes that have both European and American/Asian heritage! This gives you no-spray disease resistance, and better adaptation to climate change. It will, in fact, save the world of wine.

See article here. (Photo is of Epona Vineyard's Labelle grapes)

Poor 2012 vintage in Europe?

This article gives several examples of how hail, drought, and other natural maladies have reduced harvests this year in Europe, or in some cases resulted in no crop at all. Ouch. We were much luckier in the PacNW.