If drinking a glass of wine at the end of the day is one your life’s
pleasures, we have some news that might concern you: A wine shortage is
predicted for 2018 However, before you start to panic, it’s not as bad as it
sounds.
Extreme weather conditions, like hail and droughts, led to low
harvests in major wine-producing countries like Spain, Italy and France.
Combined with the wildfires that affected California’s production, analysts
predict shortages and increased prices.
If you’re ready to head to your favorite State Store and
wipe out the shelves, experts say that this kind of thing has happened before
and the industry knows how to handle it. Very often wine producers and
wine industries keep wine stocks in order to respond to such risks.
While it doesn’t seem like there will be an out-and-out
wine shortage anytime soon, it can never hurt to grab a few extra bottles,
right? In fact, this news is as good a reason as any to kick back with a glass
of your favorite wine and appreciate it that much more!
BRANDING
Branding used to take
a back seat in the wine world. Labels tell you the region where the grape is
from but offer little in terms of design, making it difficult for shoppers to
differentiate bottles. Expect to see increased storytelling through wine
labels, interesting typography, and compelling imagery. Face it. We all judge a
book by its cover.
WINES
TO WATCH IN 2018
Rosé – The popularity of Rosé is not expected
to slow down. In fact, for the second consecutive year, Rosé accounted for 1.5 % of all table wine sold. As the market for cheaper Rosé has
proven its success, experts expect to see more premium Rosé hit the shelves.
Carménère – Carménère is a distant relative to
Merlot and Malbec. Harvested in Chili, this South American wine is making a
splash with prominent, full-bodied red fruit flavors. According to Uncorkd, this wine is becoming more
popular on restaurant wine lists and in wine retailers.
Red Blends – The red blend craze has largely been driven by
the younger shoppers. According to Nielsen, in 2017 red blends made up 13%
of the $13 billion that shoppers spent on table wine that year, which was up
from 11% in 2016. The blend craze is often equated to the craft beer craze.
It’s trendy and appeals to the Millennial wine drinkers.
Crémant – French Crémant is a sparkling wine, which is different from Champagne and Prosecco. Given the less restrictive
requirements of making Crémant as opposed to Champagne, bars, restaurants, and
wine shops can sell this sparkling wine as an alternative to
Champagne. Want to feel extra fancy? Crémant is French for “creamy,” and is
considered to have a creamy mouth-feel rather than fizzy due to
their lower atmospheric pressures.
Albariño – Your 2018 summer wine comes from the Rias
Baixas region of Spain. With acidic and citrus flavors, this wine pairs with your seafood dishes. For the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris drinkers
looking for a change, Albariño is the answer.
THE
ACCESSIBILITY FACTOR
Winemakers continue to
look for new ways to package wine in order to appeal to the broadest base. This
includes canned and bagged wine.
Bag-in-box
This isn’t your mom’s Franzia boxed wine. The bag-in-box is
cool again and has taken off with the younger shoppers. While previously
associated with poor quality wines, wine distributors and suppliers are now
seeing that quality doesn’t need to be sacrificed when you can spend less on
packaging and offer shoppers a convenient and cheaper way to enjoy their wine.
Canned wine
Like bag-in-box,
canned wine is providing a more accessible and user-friendly way for consumers
to enjoy wine. It’s also a much cheaper solution for wineries, and can be a
huge component in transitioning these wine brands to be direct to consumer.
Trader Joe’s got behind this concept by coming out with their own brand
four-pack of canned wines called Simpler Wine.
Online Ordering
The wine direct to
consumer market is growing fast. In order to keep up with the evolving retail
landscape, it’s necessary for wineries and wine retailers to develop an online
presence. More wines are now available online for Pennsylvania consumers, as
the Commonwealth’s laws change.
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Dr. Dennis Trumble
1302 Arch St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
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