Welcome to 2026

2025 has flown by, and it has been another year filled with positives, progress, and discoveries, but also with challenges that affect not just us, but the wine industry as a whole.

Wine consumption continues to decline, and climate change remains one of the most pressing and complex challenges facing producers today. While 2025 has not been as difficult as 2024, it has certainly not been an easy year. Rainfall patterns are increasingly unpredictable, water availability is becoming a growing concern, and temperatures continue to reach new and worrying highs. These conditions make viticulture more difficult and more uncertain, particularly for small, family-run wineries that work closely with the land and depend on balance rather than volume. Despite this broader context, 2025 has been a good year for us.

We have expanded our range significantly, adding many new products and growing our non-wine selection considerably. This reflects how our customers’ tastes are evolving and our desire to offer a broader, more complete Italian food and drink experience. We have also welcomed several new family-owned wineries to our portfolio, producers who share our values, our attention to quality, and our belief that wine should be an expression of place, people, and time.

As always, tasting has been at the heart of what we do. Throughout the year we discovered a few new gems, wines that reminded us why we fell in love with this industry in the first place. We have also grown our team and were delighted to welcome a new member, which marks another important step forward for us. All in all, it has been a year of steady, meaningful growth.

At the same time, the wider environment around wine is becoming increasingly challenging. There seems to be, at the moment, a real crusade against wine in particular, driven by health concern and rising alcohol duties. Duties on alcohol continue to rise year after year, and this is now having a tangible impact on consumer choices. Price sensitivity is growing, and producers, especially large bottlers, are responding by producing wines with lower alcohol content.

One of the most visible responses has been the release of wines with lower alcohol content, designed primarily to reduce duty and keep shelf prices down. The problem is that, too often, these wines lack balance. In many cases not all the sugar is fermented, resulting in wines that are noticeably sweet, and ultimately not very drinkable.

Small producers face a different but equally frustrating challenge. Those who harvest grapes at the right time, at full ripeness, prioritising flavour, phenolic maturity, and natural balance, often end up with wines that have higher alcohol levels. As a result, they are penalised with higher duties, despite producing wines of greater integrity and quality. It is a system that rewards compromise and scale, rather than quality.

No- and low-alcohol wines fit into this broader picture. They have become increasingly popular and have undoubtedly drawn some consumers away from traditional wine. We understand why: changing lifestyles, health considerations, and shifting habits all play a role. We have tasted many no- and low-alcohol wines over the years, approaching them with curiosity and an open mind. However, we have yet to find one that truly tastes like wine.

And we don’t believe this is something that will easily change. Alcohol is not a secondary component of wine; it is fundamental. It gives wine body and texture. When alcohol is removed or significantly reduced, something essential is lost. On top of that, many of these wines are simply too sweet, because not all the sugar is fermented. For these reasons, at least for the time being, we do not plan to stock any of them.

As the same time, consumers are becoming more mindful of what they eat. This is, in many ways, a positive shift. We strongly believe that good food - made with quality ingredients - can support both physical health and overall happiness. Healthy eating is not about restriction; it’s about nourishment and enjoyment. With this in mind, we are planning to further expand our range, focusing on products that align with these values.

Looking ahead to 2026, we are excited to share that, following a successful pop-up trial, we will be opening a shop. For now, we can’t say too much, but there will be plenty more to reveal soon, and we can’t wait to bring this next chapter to life.

Finally, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have trusted us with your Italian shopping needs. Your support, loyalty, and curiosity mean more to us than you might imagine. We wish you all a wonderful year ahead, and may 2026 bring joy, health, and success—however you choose to define it. Buon anno