Andrew Baker, our fountain of endless knowledge and Head Wine Buyer, shares his expert insight into the world of wine and what’s on the horizon in 2020. In this video blog we talk through latest trends, including the increasing demand for provenance and the low sulphur movement, and touch upon his top tips for great value wines to look out for next year. So, sit back, plugin, and get clued up for the year ahead!
Key Takeaways
Provenance is the buzzword. People today ultimately want to know the story of where their food and drink comes from, be it a national brand or artisan producer. In light of this, we’re seeing a demand for hand-crafted, small batch wines, beers and spirits, eco-consciously made with attention to detail and a bit of love. And producers are responding to this. Expect to see an increase in organic and natural, sulphur-free wines, along with a trend for high-quality low and no alcohol wines. The same applies with small batch craft beers and spirits; more will emerge with real personality and an individual story to tell.
One of our latest ranges which epitomises this trend, and ultimately is what we are all about here at Virgin Wines, is Black Flag. They are a renegade group of winemakers out in South Australia who are craft through and through. They push the boundaries and create radical wines, which are both exciting and exceptional. Our customers love them too, which is why the range is expanding as we head into 2020.
We’ve always been big fans of Forrest Wines, but they are also doing particularly exciting things. They have been pioneers of the low alcohol wine movement for the past few decades and have mastered the art of producing high quality wines with naturally low alcohol content. It really is wine mastery at its finest. They are producing wines today which cater for the growing health consciousness which many of us have, whilst not letting quality slip at any point.
2019 on the whole has been a great year for viticulture. And we’re expecting big things from Australia, South America and South Africa over the coming year. For French wines, we’re looking to the innovative winemakers of the Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, Gascogne and Jura for their fresh and exciting new offerings to the wine world. It’s often far too easy when looking at French wines to get hung up on the powerhouses of Bordeaux and Burgundy, and whilst we still love their wines, it’s actually their smaller cousins who provide better value and more exciting wines.
South Africa is a country which has particularly struggled of late. Three years of drought have ravished production but now they appear to have turned a corner. Their wines can be as diverse and colourful as the country itself, which makes it a truly mouth-watering proposition for those on the hunt for something exciting and memorable. Andy recently returned from South Africa earlier this year and was blown away by the latest vintage! Expect big things…
The world of wine is all about diversity. It’s constantly changing; trends come and go, new winemakers and winemaking methods emerge, and our tastes and preferences evolve. So, let’s see what 2020 has to offer – we’re sure its going to be another great year which is full of surprises!
