You may be a little tired of reading all these key moments, best of... etc. of the last decade. However, it is truly remarkable how the wine landscape has changed in just ten years. Here are my 10 mega trends of the last decade.
1) Fruit and freshness to the fore. This occurred in many ways; earlier picking, less alcohol, less new oak, larger barrels.
2) A more international landscape. Curiosity to discover new wines increased. Red wines from Sicily, white wines from Northern Spain and Italy, lesser regions from the US and France, wines from Greece and Uruguay, to name a few.
3) Adjustment to warmer climates. This occurred in a number of ways; search for heat tolerant varieties, planting at higher altitudes, changes to vineyard management
4) Confluence of old world and new world. French wines are getting bigger, US and Australian wines try to reduce body weight.
5) The rise of biodynamic and orange wines. This includes new avant garde producers as well as established ones (e.g. Cullen in Australia).
6) Breaking with tradition. A deliberate attempt to do someting new or different in the process of making wine as well as the final product (check out Adelaide Hills producers).
7) The rise of lighter red wines. Rosé becomes a serious wine, as does Beaujolais and Pinot Noir at value price points.
8) Different wine values by millennials. Immediate consumption, fun, fashion and no interest in traditional measures of quality.
9) The closure battle hangs in the balance. Screw caps are gaining share, but cork producers employ technology successfully to eliminate faults.
10) Retail ubiquity. Consumers buy at chains, specialized stores, wineries and online.
Would you have predicted these in 2008, 2009? Maybe some. What will the next decade have in store? Any thoughts?
1) Fruit and freshness to the fore. This occurred in many ways; earlier picking, less alcohol, less new oak, larger barrels.
2) A more international landscape. Curiosity to discover new wines increased. Red wines from Sicily, white wines from Northern Spain and Italy, lesser regions from the US and France, wines from Greece and Uruguay, to name a few.
3) Adjustment to warmer climates. This occurred in a number of ways; search for heat tolerant varieties, planting at higher altitudes, changes to vineyard management
4) Confluence of old world and new world. French wines are getting bigger, US and Australian wines try to reduce body weight.
5) The rise of biodynamic and orange wines. This includes new avant garde producers as well as established ones (e.g. Cullen in Australia).
6) Breaking with tradition. A deliberate attempt to do someting new or different in the process of making wine as well as the final product (check out Adelaide Hills producers).
7) The rise of lighter red wines. Rosé becomes a serious wine, as does Beaujolais and Pinot Noir at value price points.
8) Different wine values by millennials. Immediate consumption, fun, fashion and no interest in traditional measures of quality.
9) The closure battle hangs in the balance. Screw caps are gaining share, but cork producers employ technology successfully to eliminate faults.
10) Retail ubiquity. Consumers buy at chains, specialized stores, wineries and online.
Would you have predicted these in 2008, 2009? Maybe some. What will the next decade have in store? Any thoughts?
1 comment:
I will try to address the ones which i wouldn't have predicted.
1) this is a plesant surprise with a much more diverse mix of wines. I think this can also be attributed to sommeliers wanting to pick something different for their customers.
3) this has been very welcome especially in Australia. I also think there has been a change in the way the established varieties have been handled, especially Grneache.
4) winemaking consultants and reviewers are to blame for this. Parkerisation is still a thing in some parts of the world. let's see where chinese wines go with the style of wine produced.
5 and 6) not sold on orange wines or for that matter natural wines. A number are just flawed. More than biodynamics, good organic viticulture practices seem to be spreading as more vintners get interested in having a more resilient business in face of weather changes.
9) Screw caps for me own it. I have had two flawed bottles in the last 14 years from screwcaps. corks - lost count of the flawed bottles.
10) Love the fact that the internet has made it so easy to buy wines (this includes instagram and facebook based sales)
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