Speakers’ Corner by AECOC – BWW HUB

White wine is consumed more and is more popular than in a few years. It has a much greater role in the market. Red wines are consumed less and those that are successful are lighter, with less alcohol content and less intensity. What has caused this change in trend? Does this represent a certain revolution in white wine or are we simply in a recurring cyclical moment? Is it a fashion or does it respond to a deeper trend?

Increasingly extreme weather events, rising temperatures, drought, etc, affect vineyards and especially the most delicate and fragile plants. Old vines are the least productive but they are the most prized and valuable for wineries. But how does climate change affect them? Are they more vulnerable to extreme weather events? What techniques and care are most appropriate to face the challenge of climate change?

Only 15 years ago, social media had not become popular and wine recommendations were made through the specialized press, professional guides and blind tasting contests. They were few and had an extreme influence. A good score could be decisive for a winery and was very important for positioning itself in the market. Now there are more specialized media, more contests and more rankings that coexist with prescribers with their own channels on social networks. What effect does the atomization of the prescription have on the consumer? And on the wineries? Is it still decisive to appear in guides, win contests, etc?

Launching a wine-making project is not easy, it has a very high economic cost and high risks. To minimize these risks, new models are emerging to create new wineries. There are collective projects that are inspired by old agricultural cooperatives and also winery nurseries, public or private, that offer entrepreneurs the possibility of starting with more controlled risks.