You know it and we know it: everyone loves wine. Maybe it’s the pandemic, or maybe everyone’s palates are becoming more refined. No matter what the reason, people are falling head-over-heels in love with wine—from reds and whites to bubbles and dessert wines.
Because of this, the wine industry is trending. If you want to make sure you’re keeping up with all the twists and turns of popularity, follow along with our guide to the top wine industry trends to watch in 2022. Let’s dig into natural wine’s step into the spotlight and sparkling wine’s ability to hang onto the top position on folks’ grocery lists. Here we go!
Sparkling Wine Is the Staple
This doesn’t shock us one bit—we always knew that sparkling wine was the winner! As trends show, people have really hung onto sparkling wine through the past few years. Maybe it’s the pandemic—sparkling wine gave them the joy they were looking for at home. Or maybe people recognized that there’s much more to the sparkling wine variety than a brut Prosecco.
Champagne sales tend to dominate the sparkling market, but that doesn’t mean you have no other bubbly options. In fact, people love a nice, affordable fizz, and all it takes to find one is walking a couple more steps down the aisle or scrolling a bit farther down a site. We personally love our Crémant Blanc de Blancs for a youthful, buoyant bubble!
Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone
Gone are the days when people choose their wines based on long-standing popular regions. With supply chain issues making an impact on classics such as Champagne, Bordeaux, and the like, wine-drinkers are pivoting to what’s available. So we’re seeing more wine come from under-the-radar regions in California, Spain, New York, Chile, and more. Unfortunately, prices for the classics continue to skyrocket, but fortunately, that means more chances of discovering something magical!
With trying wines from different regions comes expanding palate horizons. For example, more people will soon get to try out a Vinho Verde when their trusted Sauvignon Blanc isn’t available. Folks will also fall in love with Chilean red blends rather than the typical choices from Spain. It’s bittersweet—people are often unable to lean into their comforts, but they may find new favorites along the way.
Natural Wine Is in the Spotlight
As people embrace sustainability in all avenues of their lives, the wine industry must expand as well. Consumers have had more time than ever to read up on what goes into the winemaking process and what’s truly in their wines. Because of this, natural wines may take the spotlight in the top wine industry trends of 2022.
Now, what’s important to note is that natural wine has been around for a long time. Some of consumers’ favorite labels have made natural wine from the beginning. Now, however, it’s getting its time to shine, and people are actually looking for it.
Surges in the E-Commerce Sector
Speaking of looking for it—the pandemic has caused millions of folks to turn to online wine shopping. Wine delivery has always been in our wheelhouse, and now other companies are stepping up to the plate as well.
As some regions in the world open while others remain closed and others still shut down again, online wine sales have remained strong through it all. This showcases how bright the e-commerce sector’s future truly is. That said, the challenge for winemakers and wine-sellers moving forward is maintaining that growth. Therefore, you may see an uptick in creativity in the wine realm. For example, virtual food and wine pairing videos and lessons sell like hotcakes, and even various wine history lessons have plenty of viewers. The wine world is the seller’s oyster at this point!
Watch for Nonalcoholic Wines
If you thought natural wine was crazy, what about low-alcohol wines? Push even further—what about nonalcoholic wines? These are both alternatives that exist and that are even growing in popularity. Plenty of articles and studies were published at the beginning of the pandemic that spoke to the massive growth in alcohol sales. As the pandemic continues and folks are trying to find ways to regulate and maintain some healthy habits, their desire to consume alcohol is the first routine to go.
Nonalcoholic Options
However, this need doesn’t have to mean a negative shift for the wine world. There are botanical aperitifs, wine proxies, tea-based kombuchas, and so much more. If you want nonalcoholic wine options, you have plenty of options.
Low-Alcohol Options
For consumers who don’t want to completely give up their evening routines and saving grace after a long workday, low-alcohol wines are great options. These represent a trend that’s starting to pick up some major traction, since they’re healthy options—but also maintainable ones.
Overall: More Sustainability
The year 2022 is going to be a year of trying new things and rejuvenating the wine world. At the forefront of it all, though, is sustainability. From experimenting with natural wines to investing in quality wines rather than grabbing random bottles at the store, consumers want to spend their money where it counts. They want their wine choices to represent their values. What this means is that we may see more winemakers and wine-sellers giving glimpses behind the curtain. What do their wine-making processes look like? What ingredients do they use? What makes their wines high quality? These are all the questions consumers are asking more as they head into this year of sustainability.
WTSO and Trends
So where do we fit into this? We understand the hit on supply chains, and yet we’re doing everything to come back stronger. We’ve been in this field for a while, and our wine delivery systems, our premium wines, and our last-call wines, all offer something for everyone. When you’re looking for a business to turn to for all of your wine needs, come to us! All of our wines deserve the spotlight, and you deserve to try them!
