Are we stuck in an old rut? | New Brief #258

The Prowein Business Report takes the pulse of the wine industry once a year. The new report states that the wine industry is at a crucial crossroads. That is pretty much what many others are saying too. Two things immediately strike you when you read the report: as a wine producer, you should focus on sparkling or still white wine. Not red and indeed not fortified wine. Fortunately, there are local differences; some markets still like red wines. You should cut back on your premium and super premium wines, they have become too expensive.

Is that true?

Baby boomers will continue to drink wine as they (we) have always done, but of those who come after, later generations, how many will adopt the same drinking frequency and way of drinking wine? Not very many if you are to believe the experts. Although so far, we know too little about it to say for sure. However, the fact that wine consumption is currently decreasing is certain. Maybe it is temporary, maybe not.

A shift is underway and it is not the first time in the history of the wine industry so it is not (yet) world-changing. The OIV’s recent review of wine consumption and production over 100 years clearly showed it. High peaks and dramatic troughs. But each time, something positive comes out of this.

Think about when wine was democratised and became a drink for everyone (wine-producing countries are not affected by this statement, everyone there drank wine since a long time back) or when the New World appeared out of nowhere. The USA became the world’s largest wine consumer. Will that perhaps change now with more expensive imports (tariffs)?

What will happen this time?

Young people have a new way of looking at wine. One example: According to reports, young people in the USA do not know what is so special about champagne and why it should cost so much more than other sparkling wines. Are they right or wrong? We do not want to single out champagne in particular because it probably applies to other wines as well. But it puts the finger on a sore point: they do not spend if they do not know why. That is why it is essential to keep the myths alive. At least some people think so (certainly those who depend on them, but not only).

Will the myths survive or fade away? And will the various existing wine education programs emphasise or ignore the myths? (One often gets the impression that they function more as marketing channels for famous regions and brands than education institutions teaching critical thinking.)

Perhaps the development can move towards less rule-bound wine drinking? Without musts, without lists of “100 wines to drink before you die”. Let curiosity guide you instead. Curiosity is the true wine lover’s greatest asset.

Physically, we should also spread ourselves out a little more. The fact that certain places on our globe receive too many tourists has not escaped anyone. It is as if tourists are drawn to tourists, or perhaps people are drawn to what they recognise and are familiar with. Curious people go to unusual places and may have a much better experience.

We see this clearly in our travel business. It is easy (or at least easier) to attract travellers to the world-famous wine regions. But if we put something more unusual on our travel program, it becomes a challenge. Roussillon anyone? Rias Baixas? Alentejo? Slovenia? Moldova? Georgia? Okanagan Valley?…

But even when it comes to what we drink, we should spread our graces far and wide. Don’t believe in myths; instead try all the interesting wines that come your way. Why not choose something unknown the next time you shop instead of aiming for that one from the famous region that got the highest points in the latest tasting review?

The news items in this month’s Brief have a special focus on Sweden. Systembolaget’s sales statistics (the Swedish alcohol retail monopoly) for 2024 have been published and we take a close look at it, revealing some surprising (some positive, some not) figures.

Inspired by the first wine tours of this year, to Chile-Argentina and to South Africa, we also take a look at some particularly interesting wines you that you may find from these countries on your market.

We have already completed the tour to Argentina and Chile in January and the South Africa wine tour in February. New Zealand remains to be done in March. We still have a lot to post in the tours’ Facebook group. Join us virtually and (almost) live on these tours if you are curious about these wine countries:

• Chile and Argentinas wine tour on Facebook
• South Africa wine tour on Facebook
• New Zealand wine tour on Facebook

Click Join and then choose how many notifications you want – everything, the most important, nothing.

They will all three be back on the programme in 2026.

New Bordeaux Tour

Our Burgundy and Rhone Valley tour has had such a success so it is currently fully booked. So, we have decided to add a new tour this coming autumn season: a new five-day extravagant Bordeaux tour. All the final details are not quite settled, but contact us now if you are interested!

More info on our wine tours here. “World’s Top Wine Tours“. Tours with the people who know wine and who have an unrivalled experience of wine and tours.

Travel in wine regions with someone you trust.

Enjoy the Brief!

Britt & Per

Wine editors to the national encyclopedia, Forbes.com contributors, award-winning wine book authors, wine tour advisors to the UN and national wine organisations, wine judges … and, above all, passionate wine travellers.

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