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Amber Gardner: ‘We are seeing a shift back towards the known, the familiar and, ultimately, the comforting’

Amber Gardner: ‘We are seeing a shift back towards the known, the familiar and, ultimately, the comforting’

🇬🇧UK Decanter UK Jan 29, 2026 Market Trends

The UK wine trade is witnessing a shift back towards classical wines and familiar Old World regions after a decade of experimentation with natural wines, orange wines, and obscure varietals. According to industry insider Amber Gardner, consumers and trade professionals are now seeking the comfort of established grape varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, alongside traditional European appellations. This move suggests that the 'rule-breaking' phase of wine culture may be giving way to a new appreciation for timeless, recognisable wines.

Read full article From Digest #10
Global wine crisis hits Europe hard, especially France

Global wine crisis hits Europe hard, especially France

🇪🇺Europe Brussels Signal Jan 28, 2026 Market Trends

Europe's wine industry is facing significant challenges as a global wine crisis takes particular hold across the continent, with France experiencing especially severe impacts. This story highlights broader market pressures affecting major EU wine producers and the wider industry landscape. Understanding these trends is crucial for anyone following European wine market developments.

Read full article From Digest #10
Does the science support ‘Dry January’?

Does the science support ‘Dry January’?

🌍Other The Drinks Business Jan 27, 2026 Market Trends

A new analysis explores whether Dry January actually delivers the health benefits people expect. The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking's chief executive reveals that while the science supports reflecting on your drinking habits, short-term abstinence is less effective than adopting sustainable moderate drinking patterns throughout the year. Rather than an all-or-nothing approach, the research suggests the real benefit comes from finding a balanced relationship with alcohol that you can maintain long-term.

Read full article From Digest #10
Burgundy 2024: Dog of a Year Bites Back

Burgundy 2024: Dog of a Year Bites Back

🇪🇺Europe Wine-Searcher Jan 26, 2026 Market Trends

Burgundy's 2024 vintage proved challenging, but winemakers managed to produce wines worth drinking despite difficult growing conditions. The real story isn't necessarily about exceptional quality, but rather the achievement of making wine at all in what sounds like a tricky year for the region. For those following Burgundy closely, this vintage report offers insight into how one of Europe's most prestigious wine areas weathered whatever Mother Nature threw at it.

Read full article From Digest #10
Rare January Freeze Revives Croatia’s Ice Wine Harvest After Years of Warmer Winters

Rare January Freeze Revives Croatia’s Ice Wine Harvest After Years of Warmer Winters

🇪🇺Europe Vinetur Jan 23, 2026 Market Trends

Croatia's winemakers have had a rare treat this January as an unusual cold snap has brought back conditions perfect for ice wine production. After several years of warmer winters made the harvest impossible, this freeze has revived a traditional production method that's been dormant in the region. It's a timely reminder of how climate patterns continue to shape European wine production in unexpected ways.

Read full article From Digest #10
Portugal’s Wine Production Plunges 20% to Decade Low Amid Extreme Weather

Portugal’s Wine Production Plunges 20% to Decade Low Amid Extreme Weather

🇪🇺Europe Vinetur Jan 22, 2026 Market Trends

Portugal's wine harvest has dropped by a fifth to its lowest level in ten years, driven by severe weather conditions. This significant production shortfall will likely affect wine availability and prices across UK and European markets, as Portugal is a key supplier to both regions. The news underscores how climate challenges continue to reshape Europe's wine industry.

Read full article From Digest #9
Why Germany should be the go-to for wines by the glass

Why Germany should be the go-to for wines by the glass

🌍Other The Drinks Business Jan 22, 2026 Market Trends

German wines are making a strong case for a bigger presence on UK restaurant wine lists, according to industry professionals. Iris Ellmann of The Wine Barn argues that German Rieslings, Silvaners and Pinot varieties offer exceptional quality at affordable prices, with popular options like Becker Family Spätburgunder (£14.90 ex VAT) and Jechtinger Grauburgunder already performing well by the glass in UK establishments. She believes the category's elegance, lower alcohol levels and consistency make German wines ideal for trendy, high-volume venues looking to refresh their wine offerings.

Read full article From Digest #9
Bulk Wine Surges to Majority Market Share in UK as Young Professionals Drive Industry Transformation

Bulk Wine Surges to Majority Market Share in UK as Young Professionals Drive Industry Transformation

🇬🇧UK Jan 20, 2026 Market Trends

The UK wine industry is undergoing a major shake-up as bulk wine becomes the dominant market force, fuelled by a new generation of young professionals entering the sector. What's driving this shift? It's not just about wine quality anymore, it's about sustainability, innovation, and career flexibility that's attracting talented people to an industry traditionally seen as a low-quality game. This transformation signals how consumer values and workforce expectations are reshaping the entire wine landscape.

Read full article From Digest #9
Is Gen Z too self-conscious to drink?

Is Gen Z too self-conscious to drink?

🌍Other The Drinks Business Jan 20, 2026 Market Trends

A new study suggests 63% of Gen Z in the UK are considering quitting alcohol entirely, with social media playing a major role in their decision. Young adults are increasingly anxious about being photographed or filmed whilst drinking, worried that embarrassing moments will be shared and ridiculed online, which is making them avoid alcohol altogether rather than embrace it as a social lubricant. This shift in consumer behaviour could reshape how the wine industry approaches marketing to younger age groups in coming years.

Read full article From Digest #9
Global Champagne shipments fall by 2% in 2025

Global Champagne shipments fall by 2% in 2025

🇪🇺Europe The Drinks Business Jan 20, 2026 Market Trends

Champagne shipments declined by 2% in 2025, with global sales totalling 266 million bottles compared to 271 million the year before. The 5-million-bottle drop suggests cooling demand in the premium sparkling wine market as consumers navigate economic pressures. It's a modest decline, but worth watching to see if the category stabilises or faces further headwinds in 2026.

Read full article From Digest #9
Italian Wine industry pins high hopes on EU–India FTA

Italian Wine industry pins high hopes on EU–India FTA

🇪🇺Europe Hospitality Biz India Jan 20, 2026 Market Trends

Italy's wine producers are looking optimistic about a potential EU-India Free Trade Agreement, which could open up new opportunities in the Indian market. A trade deal between Europe and India could reduce barriers and tariffs that currently make Italian wines more expensive for Indian consumers. This matters for the industry because India represents a growing market for premium European wines.

Read full article From Digest #9
Enough to Fill 2,100 Olympic Pools: Italy’s Wine Glut Hits Record

Enough to Fill 2,100 Olympic Pools: Italy’s Wine Glut Hits Record

🇪🇺Europe Vino Joy News Jan 20, 2026 Market Trends

Italy's wine industry is facing its biggest storage crisis yet, with a record 53.3 million hectolitres of unsold wine sitting in cellars as of late 2025. To put that in perspective, that's enough to fill roughly 2,100 Olympic swimming pools. This massive glut is putting pressure on producers and could reshape the market in the months ahead.

Read full article From Digest #9
Simon Farr’s 2026 Wine Market Analysis | Wine Owners

Simon Farr’s 2026 Wine Market Analysis | Wine Owners

🇬🇧UK Wineowners Jan 19, 2026 Market Trends

This is Wine Owners' flagship annual commentary from Simon Farr, positioning it as their most popular interview of the year. The piece delivers original market analysis and forward-looking predictions for 2026, making it timely for a newsletter focused on industry intelligence. Worth covering because annual market analyses from established voices provide readers with authoritative trend forecasting and professional insights they can't easily find elsewhere. The fact it's their 'most popular' suggests strong audience engagement and credibility within the sector.

Read full article From Digest #11
Tom Planer on the art of selling more wine with fun and emotion

Tom Planer on the art of selling more wine with fun and emotion

🌍Other The Buyer Jan 16, 2026 Market Trends

Tom Gilbey's Instagram phenomenon is reshaping how wine gets sold to everyday people in the UK, and Corkable's Tom Planer reckons the industry needs to lean into fun and emotion if it wants to actually connect with mainstream consumers. It's a timely look at how social media influence and personality-driven content are becoming serious business drivers in wine retail.

Read full article From Digest #8
EU warns of decade-long wine downturn

EU warns of decade-long wine downturn

🇪🇺Europe The Drinks Business Jan 12, 2026 Market Trends

The European Commission's reckoning with a structural decline in wine consumption over the next decade (a 9% drop by 2035). Younger drinkers are moderating their intake, health concerns are shifting behaviour, and traditional wine countries like France and Germany are being hit hardest, which means vineyard areas across the EU are contracting too. It's a sobering outlook that'll likely reshape how producers think about volume versus premiumisation over the coming years.

Read full article From Digest #8
Striking a balance: how France’s Vin & Société is offering a new take on Dry January

Striking a balance: how France’s Vin & Société is offering a new take on Dry January

🇪🇺Europe Vitisphere Jan 12, 2026 Market Trends

France's Vin & Société has come up with a clever response to Dry January that doesn't involve asking people to quit wine entirely. They're promoting a more balanced approach, which is pretty interesting given how seriously the French tend to take their wine culture. Could this signal a broader shift in how European producers engage with the growing wellness trend without sacrificing their core market?

Read full article From Digest #8
Taylor's endorsement prompts Swift sell-out for Sancerre wine

Taylor's endorsement prompts Swift sell-out for Sancerre wine

🇪🇺Europe France 24 Jan 6, 2026 Market Trends

A celebrity endorsement's sparked a massive sell-out of Sancerre wine in France - apparently Taylor Swift's been spotted enjoying it, and retailers can't keep it on the shelves. It's a brilliant example of how celebrity culture can shift wine market dynamics, even for established French regions. France 24's picked up on what's become a genuinely interesting moment for the wine trade in terms of consumer behaviour and demand spikes.

Read full article From Digest #7
Slight dip in no and low sales during December suggests category’s growing ‘maturity’

Slight dip in no and low sales during December suggests category’s growing ‘maturity’

🇬🇧UK The Drinks Business Jan 6, 2026 Market Trends

The no and low alcohol category in the UK is starting to show signs of maturity - household participation actually dipped slightly in December despite a 14% rise in spending. It's an interesting shift: it suggests that whilst fewer people are trying no and low options, the ones who've already switched are buying more of their favourites, which could indicate the category's moving from growth phase into consolidation.

Read full article From Digest #7
How AI is changing the DTC wine experience

How AI is changing the DTC wine experience

🌍Other The Drinks Business Jan 6, 2026 Market Trends

Napa Valley wineries are deploying AI wine concierges to drive engagement and sales through their direct-to-consumer channels. Is this a smart move for DTC? Personalised recommendations and 24/7 customer service without the overhead. Worth keeping an eye on whether this trend spreads to European producers, especially as DTC becomes increasingly competitive.

Read full article From Digest #7