Amount (in millions of US$) that the iconic—now shuttered—New York wine store Sherry-Lehman owes the State of New York in back taxes, according to The New York Times. Founded in 1934, the company specialized in the world’s most expensive wines, including high-end Bordeaux and Burgundy. It failed to deliver more than $1 million worth of wine to customers who paid in advance, in addition to owing money to distributors and defaulting on loans.
Number of acres (in millions) of grapevines on planet earth in 2022 (including those for wine, table grapes, and raisins). According to the International Organization for Vines and Wine (OIV), 93 countries grow grapes. The top six—Spain, France, China, Italy, Turkey, and the USA— (in respective order) account for 56% of the world’s vineyard acreage.
Number of copies (in millions) of the Japanese manga series “The Drops of God” in circulation since its debut in 2004. Tasting a 1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echézeaux inspired brother-and-sister authors Yuko and Shin Kibayashi (pen-name Tadashi Agi) to create the 44-volume series about wine. Apple TV+ is streaming an adaptation of the manga.
Number of new Peruvian grape varieties identified by researchers in the desert province of Caravelí in the Arequipa region of Peru. DNA tests were used to confirm the 6 varieties, which will be registered with the Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC), a global database of grapevines. At least two of the varieties are considered contenders for wine grape propagation.
Amount (in pounds) of rice that the average Asian consumes each year, according to the United Nations. That’s more than the average rice consumption of Africans, Europeans, and Americans combined. Meanwhile, as populations in Africa and Asia increase, demand for rice is soaring, even as hotter temperatures and floods are destroying rice paddies throughout the world.
Number of localities within the Fleurie appellation of Beaujolais applying for Premier Cru status. The application will now go to the National Institute for Origin and Quality (INAO) where approval could take several years. If granted, the Premiers Crus will be the very first Premiers Crus in all of Beaujolais.
Percentage of people over 65 who choose wine as the alcoholic beverage they are most likely to bring to a party, according to a 2021 Harris Poll. By contrast, only 15% of adults 21 to 34 years old say they’d bring wine. So what would they bring? 20% are most likely to bring beer and, coming in second, 17% would bring spirits.
Percentage decrease in Argentine grape production in 2023, according to Argentina’s National Institute of Vitiviniculture (INV). The average grape harvest in the last decade has been about 5.1 billion lbs, but this year’s estimate is 3.3 billion lbs, which would make 2023 the smallest harvest in Argentina since 1960. Factors include late spring frost, less water for irrigation, and the hottest summer in a century.
Starting price (in US$) of the Maison Psyché fragrance collection launched by French spirits group Rémy Cointreau. The five perfumes in the collection age in tiny oak casks in the Maison Rémy Martin cellars in Cognac, France. Cellar master Baptiste Loiseau handpicked the casks in collaboration with perfumer Sophie Labbé.
Number of years that the Italian wine company Marchesi Antinori has been in the wine business. As if that weren’t impressive enough, the Antinori family just bought complete ownership of Napa Valley’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, one of the most famous Napa Valley wineries. (The sale price was not disclosed).
Number of wine-producing countries in the world in 2022, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). The three leading producers (in order)—Italy, France, and Spain—account for more than half of the world’s wine production. The United States is fourth on the list of leading producers, followed by Australia.
Approximate price (in US$) of the Monarch MK-V smart tractor. Monarch Tractor debuted its revolutionary fully electric, driver-optional, smart tractor in 2020. The “Tesla of tractors” uses GPS and computer vision technology to drive autonomously, while recording 360-degree live video feeds and uploading data about a vineyard to cloud storage.
