The Top Wine Trends Expected in 2017
The wine world is a constantly growing industry. Each year the statics change, and more wine is consumed. The markets are carefully watching the millennial generation. Wine slushies have become a big hit. Organic, biodynamic and natural wines are wanted. Doesn’t reading all that make you want to grab a glass? Here are the top trends you should expect to see next year.
1. Generational Growth
The Millennials generation out-drank the Baby Boomer’s generation in 2016 from a long awaited prediction. Now that the entire generation is of age to drink, about 28% of millennials drink wine on a daily basis. That means the markets will target millennials and the wine they drink.
So what wines should you expect on the shelves in 2017? Millennials won’t take the time to read how long the wine has aged. However, they will grab a bottle off the shelf if it has a graphic logo or catchy name. About 51% of millennial women said that they would prefer sustainably bottled, or organic wines. Does this mean that next year will aim to save the earth one wine bottle at a time?
2. Wine Slushies
For the summer of 2016, wine slushies were the perfect recipe to pin on your “Wine & Dine” board on Pinterest. All it takes is blending wine, fruit, and ice into a refreshing frozen drink. If you didn’t catch this new fad over the summer, don’t worry. Wine Slushies have been around for a while, but they recently caught the attention of consumers of the “DIY” world.
The recipes to try at home will soon become available at your convenience. You can find them at a few restaurants already, but by 2017, they will most likely be on the menus at local restaurants and bars all over the country. Can you imagine having a wine slushy with your favorite meal while you’re out? Yum!
3. Biodynamical Bottles
Remember how women of the millennial age drink more sustainable, organic wines? Well biodynamic, organic and minimal intervention wines are up and coming. This type of wine goes by the new terminology of “natural” wines. There are no requirements for wine to be “natural” and the process is much easier than certified organic wines. However, the wine is made from organic or biodynamic grapes.
The process behind making biodynamic and natural wine follows the concept of “let the wine make itself”. Biodynamic wines are made from a holistic point of view, where the process is natural and leaves the earth the way it was before. Grapes are grown with care all the way down to the soil. Natural wines are made with similar ingredients to biodynamic wines, but don’t require the holistic process of how the grapes are grown. Either way the “natural” wines are made, they are becoming a popular choice on the shelf. Who wouldn’t want to support sustainability?
4. Bourbon Barrel Wine
Have you heard of bourbon barrel wine? This is a current trend of 2016, and will definitely be something you’ll continue to see in 2017. You often hear about “aged wine” when someone determines if it’s a good bottle of wine. Most aged wine sits in a barrel at some point, even if some white wines can do without. Sustainability is a concept that’s trending, and “natural” wine isn’t the only way to stay sustainable in the world of wine.
Barrels that once held bourbon or whiskey are being refurbished and used to age wine. The oak barrels are charred for aroma and flavor. Adventurous wine drinkers are recommended to try it, which means more people are learning about this type of wine. The popularity of bourbon barrel wine is continuing to increase, and will definitely be a topic to talk about in 2017. So will you take a walk on the wild side and try this type of wine?
5. Drinking Out Vs. Drinking In
Do you often have a glass of wine when you go out to eat, or do you drink your wine at home that you bought from a liquor store? On-premise wine sales are on a decline, while off-premise wine sales are on an incline. People want to drink wine by the bottle at home, rather than spend a little extra money on a glass of wine while they’re out.
It’s not just the wine sales that are down, beer sales are down as well. In fact, sales were down 1.6% in 2015, and continued to decline. So this could be something you will continue to see in 2017. The average income for 2016 just wasn’t high enough for bars and restaurants to raise their on premise sales. People are less willing to splurge while they’re out. So the decline of on premise wine sales won’t come as a shocker in 2017.
To Wine, or Wine Not?
Although people aren’t drinking wine at bars and restaurants like they used to, wine is still something to talk about. There are a lot of up and coming wine trends that will continue to evolve next year. If you’re a wine lover, you have every reason to be excited about for 2017. So sit back, relax and pour yourself a glass!
