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Wine Trends in 2022 – What to Watch?
What’s the future of wine in 2022, and what trends should we be keeping an extra eye on?
Our team at Classic Drinks have pulled together the latest wine industry trends to help you plan for the year ahead.
No & Low
The biggest trend by a mile seems to be No and Low Alcohol. According to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, sales in the UK are expected to reach a value of $741m (growth of 17 %!!). You might well be suspicious of these figures considering alcohol consumption is reasonably high in Ireland. However, those of us purchasing low and no alcohol alternatives aren’t necessarily following a strict no-alcohol policy. Research shows that many wine drinkers are consciously minimising their alcohol consumption, combining regular alcoholic drinks with low/no alcohol alternatives in an effort to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Organic
Another trend that is accelerating due to growing environmental concerns is the organic wine category. Europe already holds around 60% of the entire global production and Italy, Spain, and France are leading the way. The biggest consumers of organic wine are Europeans with the UK ranking third. Unlike biodynamic or natural wines, consumers are familiar with the term organic and understand the basic positive health and environmental associations. Every wine list would benefit well from increasing the range of organic wines and we have some great options available.
Premium Up!
We are also preparing for premiumisation across the board. This trend is partly related to the rise in moderating alcohol consumption. Consumers are expected to trade up in terms of value but down in terms of volume, drinking less but better. Brand equity is increasingly important and in growth markets like Ireland, consumers are looking for recognisable names and ‘soft brands’, a term used to describe the broad cues consumers look for i.e. Rioja or Premier Cru. By all means, include quirky wines from lesser known regions on your list but make sure not to underestimate the value of established, recognisable names like Australian Shiraz or Chablis.
Sauvignon Blanc Alternatives
We also predict a broader offering of the wines from New Zealand. After a difficult 2021 growing season for Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand, the NZ wine industry is likely to respond by promoting their alternative single grape varieties in order to retain market share. Many restaurants will be encouraged to list other white grape varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Riesling, widening consumer choice for New Zealand wines.
Rosé, All Day
Lastly and unsurprisingly is the craze for Rosé which is now the fastest growing wine category in terms of production and consumption. Still, sparkling and sweet wine producers are adding a Rosé to their collections if they haven’t so already. The Italian government approved Rosé Prosecco last year, made from Glera and Pinot Noir, which made its way onto supermarket shelves almost instantaneously. Pinot Noir is still the grape associated with premium traditional-method sparkling rosés.
So that’s a roundup of wine trends for 2022. We hope they provide some fresh insight to help you with your buying choices.
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