CorkonomicsThe economics of wine production, collection, and vineyards
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Vineyard land · Pauillac≈$2,798,250 a hectare▼ down 17% on 20232024Opening price · Château Lafite Rothschild 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 17% on the year beforeSold at auction · Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, DRC 2019$22,917 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Burgundy grand cru (Pinot Noir)$48–283US duty on wine from · Canada+50%since Aug 2026Everyday bottle in a US shop$13.77 a litre▼ down 1.3% in a yearSep 2026Vineyard land · Margaux≈$1,567,020 a hectare▼ down 7% on 20232024Opening price · Château Cheval Blanc 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 22% on the year beforeSold at auction · La Tâche Grand Cru, DRC 2018$5,417 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Champagne prestige cuvée$26–89US duty on wine from · Australia+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte-Rôtie≈$1,511,055 a hectare▲ up 8% on 20232024Opening price · Château Mouton Rothschild 2025≈$336 a bottle▲ up 19% on the year beforeSold at auction · Richebourg Grand Cru, DRC 2012$3,542 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Bordeaux classified growth (2nd–5th)$17–61US duty on wine from · New Zealand+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte de Nuits grand cru≈$7,275,450 a hectare2019Opening price · Château Palmer 2025≈$268 a bottle▼ down 19% on the year beforeVineyard land · Pomerol≈$2,238,600 a hectare2023
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Wine with food: the simple rules

There is no law about red with meat and white with fish. Match the weight of the wine to the weight of the dish and you will rarely go wrong.

4 min read · For beginners

Wine with food: the simple rules

Match weight with weight

Light food likes light wine. A salad, grilled fish or a goat's cheese is happy with a crisp white or a light red. Rich food likes fuller wine. Steak, stew and hard cheese can stand up to a big red.

Grilled fish, a green salad and a glass of white wine on a terrace table

Acid loves fat and salt

Fresh, mouth-watering wines cut through rich or salty food the way a squeeze of lemon does. That is why Champagne is so good with fried food and crisps, and why a zingy white lifts a creamy pasta.

Fried chicken, crisps and two glasses of sparkling wine

Tannin loves protein

The dry grip of a young, strong red softens next to meat and cheese. This is the real reason steak and Cabernet Sauvignon are such a famous pair.

Sliced steak on a wooden board beside a glass of dark red wine

A little sweetness tames spice

Chilli makes dry, strong wines taste hot and bitter. A lighter wine with a touch of sweetness, such as an off-dry Riesling, cools things down.

A bowl of green curry with rice and a glass of white wine

What grows together goes together

Dishes and wines from the same place have had centuries to get used to each other. Tomato pasta with Chianti. Lamb with Rioja. Oysters with Chablis.

Spaghetti in tomato sauce with a carafe and a tumbler of red wine by a farmhouse window

When in doubt, open something sparkling or a dry rosé. Both get along with almost everything.

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