Nothing feels predictable in a year like this, but we at Vinaty are ready to place our bets. Here are four major predictions for the future of the wine world. Will we be proven right or wrong? Come back and ask again in 2022.
1) The Rise and Rise of Canned Wine
Purists will say that wine should come in a corked glass bottle. This hasn’t stopped canned wine from taking a growing share of the global market. According to Dr Liz Thatch, Master of Wine, sales of canned wine grew 61% by 2020, a change so large that it caused a shortage in the supply chain. Given how many events will be forced outside in the wake of the pandemic – not forgetting how purse strings will be tightened worldwide – it’s hardly surprising that people have turned to cheaper, more portable wine.
2) COVID-proof tasting
If 2020 was the year of drinking wine at home, 2022 will be the year of COVID-proof tasting. You can see the logic: bring back the enthusiasts without the risk. This will mean more online seminars, more virtual participation in events, and more tasting outdoors. Wine-tasting, like everything else, will require social distancing and a negative test before you can take part – or even a COVID passport.
3) Changing Wine Regions
First came the Judgement of Paris, then the Judgement of Princeton. Now the wine world is ready for a new set of shocks. Wine from England, particularly sparkling wine, has spread to foreign markets such as Scandinavia. South African wine is creeping up on its competitors from Chile and New Zealand. Even the Czech Republic is getting in on the act, according to experts. As we’ll see in the next section, a warming climate is likely to push wine production towards the Poles. We’ll have to get used to a new generation of top-class wine producers, continuing into 2022.
4) And for the future? The effect of climate change on wine
Climate change is already forcing wineries to change their approach. The importance of organic wine to the global market has been underscored by the success of WOW!, the World of Organic Wines and Spirits, at Vinexposium. Then there’s biodynamic farming and vegan wines, redefining our relationship with the natural world. Châteaux across France are already modifying their grape variety to suit a changing climate, and the world’s first symposium on climate change and wine has been organised at Vinexpo Bordeaux.
