Market Trends

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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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more 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 more From Digest #7
Early harvest fuels optimism for record British wine vintage

Early harvest fuels optimism for record British wine vintage

🇬🇧UK The Scottish Farmer Jan 2, 2026 Market Trends

British winemakers are getting excited about an early harvest that's shaping up to be a record vintage. The Scottish Farmer's reporting on this suggests the UK wine industry is having a cracking year, which is worth paying attention to given how weather-dependent wine production is. This could be a significant moment for English and Scottish wine if the quality matches the optimism.

Read more From Digest #7
After sparkling success, English still wines build their reputation (paywall)

After sparkling success, English still wines build their reputation (paywall)

🇬🇧UK The Times Dec 31, 2025 Market Trends

English still wines are finally getting their moment in the spotlight after years of English sparkling wine dominating the conversation. The Times is covering how producers are building credibility in the still wine category, which suggests there's real momentum behind this shift in the UK wine industry. Worth keeping an eye on – this could be a significant story for how English wine's reputation is expanding beyond just bubbles.

Read more From Digest #6
‘Too important not to fight for’: Spain’s wine industry seeks infusion of new blood

‘Too important not to fight for’: Spain’s wine industry seeks infusion of new blood

🇪🇺Europe The Guardian Dec 29, 2025 Market Trends

Spain's wine industry is actively working to attract younger talent to the sector, recognising it's too crucial to let slip. The Guardian piece looks at recruitment and generational challenges that are affecting how Spanish wineries operate and plan for the future. Worth a read if you're interested in how EU wine regions are tackling the skills gap and succession planning.

Read more From Digest #6
Global momentum 

Global momentum 

🇬🇧UK Vineyard Magazine Dec 26, 2025 Market Trends

English sparkling wine is having a proper moment - it's just notched up 35% export growth and now the Réunion des Gastronomes has ditched Champagne for the first time at their annual banquet, serving Greyfriars Reserve Rosé instead. WineGB's boss took the opportunity to highlight how the UK's punishingly high wine duty is holding the industry back compared to how other European governments support theirs.

Read more From Digest #6