The Manzanos Wines Journal
Stories of wine, passion, and craftsmanship from around the world, by the team behind a Spanish wine importer serving all 50 states.
South African Wine's US Tariff Fell From 30% to 12.5%: What Buyers Should Do in 2026
South Africa's US wine duty dropped from 30% to 12.5% in the same year the Cape delivered its best harvest in years. What that changes for your list.
Chilean Pinot Noir in 2026: 5 Reasons It Owns the By-the-Glass Slot
Chile sells 8 of every 10 US bottles under $10. That is exactly why its Pinot Noir is the most underpriced glass pour on an American wine list right now.
New Jersey BYOB: 7 Bottles to Bring When You Are the Wine List
New Jersey caps any company at two liquor stores and bans corkage fees outright, so the diner picks the wine. Seven bottles built for a BYOB table.
Beyond Barolo: 3 Piedmont Wines Americans Keep Missing
Ask for a Piedmont wine and Americans say Barolo. Three DOCG bottles from the same hills pour better on a Tuesday, and land at a fraction of the cost.
5 Spanish White Wines That Deserve a Glass Pour in 2026
Rioja plants nearly nine rows of red for every row of white. That lopsided ratio is exactly why Spain's whites are the smartest pour on a 2026 list.
The US Wine Market Is Sorting, Not Shrinking: 5 Numbers That Explain 2026
Americans bought 81 million fewer cases of wine than in 2019, yet spent a record $115 billion. Both are true, and the gap explains everything about 2026.
Chile's $5 Ceiling: Why Maule Valley Cabernet Deserves a Better Slot in 2026
81% of Chilean wine shipped to the US retails under $10. That is a shelf-position verdict, not a quality one, and Maule Valley Cabernet is the proof.
7 Spanish Wines Every Chicago Tapas Table Needs in 2026
From Rioja and steak to Navarra whites with garlic shrimp, here are 7 Spanish wines built for Illinois tapas tables, with the pairing logic behind each.
Piedmont's Moment: 5 Duchessa Lia Wines Built for 2026's Lighter Table
2026's dominant wine trend is restraint, and it runs straight through Piedmont. Here's your Duchessa Lia field guide, from Barolo to Moscato d'Asti.
Navarra Rosado: Spain's Original Rosé and Late Summer's Smartest Pour
Before Provence went pink, Navarra was already mastering rosado. Here's why Spain's original 100% Garnacha rosé is late summer's smartest, best-value pour.
South African Sauvignon Blanc: The Cool-Climate White Winning 2026 Wine Lists
The world's biggest wine market is drinking less and paying more. Cool-climate Cape Sauvignon Blanc is the fresh, value-forward white built for 2026.
6 Chilean White Wine Pairings to Steal the Rest of Summer 2026
The US wine market is flat, but Chile is booming, and its bright, food-friendly whites are the reason. Six Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay pairings for late summer.
Texas Runs on Tempranillo: 6 Spanish Reds Built for Brisket and the Steakhouse
Texas adopted Tempranillo as its signature grape, and it came straight from Rioja. Here are 6 Spanish reds built for brisket, ribeye, and tapas night.
4 Piedmont Wines Built for 2026's Biggest Trend, From Duchessa Lia
2026's wine winners are lighter, lower-alcohol and less oaky. Piedmont was built for this moment, and 4 Duchessa Lia bottles prove it.
The 4 Levels of Rioja: Crianza to Gran Reserva Explained
One word on the back label decides if a Rioja costs $12 or $60. Learn to read Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva like a pro buyer.
Pinotage in 2026: 6 Reasons South Africa Belongs on Your Wine List
South Africa pours some of the best-value wine on any US shelf, and almost nobody is drinking it. In 2026, that is the opportunity.
5 Reasons Chilean Carmenere Is the Smart 2026 Wine List Pick
Chilean wine exports dipped in 2026, but value reds surged. Here's why Carmenere from the Maule Valley is the smartest pour on any US wine list.
8 Spanish Wines Every California Wine List Should Pour in 2026
California moves $34.1B in wine a year. Here are 8 Spanish pours (and the pairings that sell them) built for the state's 2026 restaurant lists.
Why Piedmont Wine Is Built for the 2026 Table: A US Buyer's Guide to Barolo, Nebbiolo & Moscato d'Asti
Every 2026 trend report says the same thing: lighter, fresher, lower in oak and alcohol. Piedmont has been making exactly that wine for 150 years.
Why Rioja Is 2026's Smartest-Value Red for US Wine Lists
Spanish wine volumes are down in the US, yet export value jumped 8.4% to $3.43B. Here is why buyers who read the numbers are quietly loading up on Rioja.
Fire, Smoke and Value: Why Pinotage Is the 2026 Red Your Grill Has Been Missing
South Africa's smoky signature red is built for the grill and priced to win in a flat market. Meet Pinotage, 2026's smartest pour.
5 Reasons Chilean Carménère Belongs on Every 2026 US Wine List
It was a lost Bordeaux grape hiding in Chile for 150 years. Now Carménère is 2026's smartest value red, and buyers are paying attention.
New York Is Going Spanish: 7 Rioja Pours Every NY Wine List Needs in 2026
NYC's award-winning wine lists now run on Rioja. Here are 7 Spanish pours — and the pairings — every New York restaurant should carry in 2026.
Rioja's 2026 Moment: 5 Reasons America Is Trading Up to Spanish Reds
Americans are buying fewer bottles but spending more in 2026. Here's why Rioja's guaranteed aging makes it the smartest trade-up red on any US wine list.
South African Wine in 2026: 6 Reasons the US Trade Should Pour Bruce Jack Now
South Africa shipped US$562M of wine in 2024 and the US is its biggest upside yet. Here's why Pinotage and Bruce Jack are 2026's smartest pour for glass and shelf.
989 Acres, $20 Billion: 9 Wines Florida Restaurants Should Pour in 2026
Florida grows just 989 acres of grapes but drives $20.09 billion in wine activity. It's a drinking state, not a growing one — and its wine lists should show it.
US Wine Lists Cut 26% of Their Reds. These 4 Piedmont Bottles Earn Their Slot.
American restaurants now carry 26% fewer red wine labels than a year ago. The tariff math is brutal, and it is changing which Piedmont bottles are worth a pour.
Rioja Sales Fell 7.6% in the US. Gran Reserva Grew 16%.
Rioja shipments to the US dropped 7.6% — but Gran Reserva sales climbed 16%. The appellation isn't shrinking. It's consolidating at the top.
Pinotage and Fire: South Africa's Grill-Ready Red for Your 2026 Summer
One red smells like the grill before it hits your glass. Meet Pinotage — South Africa's smoky, native grape built for live-fire cooking and 2026's hottest summer tables.
Chile's Comeback Grape: 6 Reasons Carménère Belongs on Your 2026 Wine List
Bordeaux abandoned it. Chile mistook it for Merlot until 1994. Now Carménère is the country's signature red — and the smartest value on any 2026 wine list.