Wine Trends 2013

Sweet wines:
Lightly sweet red wines have been gaining popularity among wine consumers. They're not labeled “sweet,” but they're basically red blends from California that have a little extra residual sugar so they appeals to Millennials who've been drinking soda and are now starting to think about wine. Most new wine drinkers have preferred the sweeter styles of wines and spritzers to the big bold reds. Sparkling pink wines and Moscato are showing up on more menus. Perhaps the song from the hip hop performers Waka Flocka Flame started singing about Moscato in their lyrics had the same influence on Moscato that Sideways had on Pinot Noir. Moscato seems destined to replace sagging white zinfandel as the wine of choice for people new to wine. Rosé is on the rise too, not White Zinfandel, but wines of fruit and acid balance from the U.S.

Digital Wine Lists:

Digital wine lists are my favorite trend of the year. Essentially it is an iPad application to be used at restaurants and provided by the restaurants.  This is my favorite new trend, not just because I am a techy, but because it’s a greener way to do business, rather than the paper wine list and reprinting cost.

The wine critics:

The Millennials are different from their elders in how they get wine recommendations – they rely on friends (both online and offline) blogs and tweets for updates on wine. America today boasts one of the most knowledgeable wine-buying populations in the world. While point-spewing critics may have helped create this knowledge base, increasingly savvy consumers are looking elsewhere for recommendations.  While Baby Boomers may reach for familiar selections, the youngest wine consumers – the Millennials – show a strong interest in wines and a curiosity to try them from many different regions or grapes. Social media continues to be an important part of the marketing mix for wine selections.

Bull market for consumption:

It may not be a bull market for much in the United States these days, but it’s a bull market for wine consumption. The year just finished may well mark the 19th consecutive 12-month period of growth in per capita consumption of wine, resulting in the U.S. becoming the largest wine market in the world. Consumers should brace themselves for rising wine prices in 2013, with wine production falling to a five-year low and producers starting to raise their prices. Consolidation is also set to be a major trend of 2013.