What are the most exciting happenings in the wine world?
2020 was certainly something. In the wake of lockdowns, quarantines, travel restrictions, business closures and forced isolations, the way we interact with the world around us has changed a lot in the past year.
And that includes how we buy and enjoy our wine.
Without any bars and restaurants, the wine industry had to adjust massively, and because of this a whole new world of wine trends have opened up – from organic wine to robot hosts. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important and exciting things happening in the wine world right now.
Organic wine
The entire food and drink industry has had to rethink its practices in recent years due to public demand for sustainability, and wine merchants are no exception. We’re finally seeing wine industry juggernauts making serious commitments to sustainable harvesting and manufacturing, and this has led to a significant rise in the popularity of organic wine.
Organic vines, green winery design, carbon neutrality and more are all becoming vital factors for wine lovers choosing their favourite tipple. As such, independent wine merchants like Forest Wines are finding huge popularity thanks to their focus on natural and organic wine.
Wine online
Unsurprisingly, sales of online wine have grown significantly over the last year, representing a huge push forward in the digitalisation of wine shopping. Online merchants tend to house a much wider selection of wines than your local supermarket or corner shop, giving you a huge choice when it comes to quality, flavour and pairings. It’s now easier than ever for anyone to become a connoisseur.
Online sellers also tend to reward you for shopping with them, with free shipping over certain amounts, and incentives and money off for larger orders.
Make it pink
Ask any wine lover, and they’ll tell you how hard it is to choose a favourite wine above all the rest. However, at present it seems like rosé is enjoying some time in the spotlight, especially carbonated rosé that marries together the popularity of summery pink wine and celebratory prosecco.
Rosé has always been more popular in the summer than in winter, but last year some online sellers reported selling as much as seven times more rosé compared to summer 2019. This may have been due to people looking for a lighter wine they could enjoy in the garden during the summer that brought us the ‘rule of six’.
With lockdown set to lift in time for summer 2021, and people no doubt filling their social calendars, rosé’s popularity is unlikely to dwindle in the coming months.
Portugal is a hotspot
Wine is a global industry, but it looks like Portugal is one of the most popular places for people shopping for great flavours and great deals. In September 2020 alone, sales of Portuguese wine soared 35%.
The reason for this is simple: good quality and good price. Portuguese wines are known for being tasty, good with food, and inexpensive. From Douro Valley to Alentejo, it’s no surprise to see regions of Portugal thriving among wine lovers.
Seltzer is dividing opinion
You may have seen seltzers popping up in supermarkets in recent months, and views on them remain divided. Essentially flavoured sparkling water with an alcoholic kick, wine seltzers have been deemed the wine of choice for people who don’t actually like wine.
And now even celebrities are getting involved, including Gordon Ramsay and his ‘Hell’s Seltzer’ range. Some people see these as a great light option for summer afternoons, others think they’re essentially grown up soda. But whether you love them or hate tham, seltzers are definitely here to stay.
