Wine Trends 2024
I’m always asked about wine trends and what I think about them. There is so much going on in the wine world, that it’s often hard to whittle it down on the fly- something a little better done in writing. We’ll get the bad news out of the way- we are drinking less wine and the young people have yet to catch on to wine as a preferred beverage. The good news here is that the category of wine showing the greatest decline is the $12 and less bottle of wine and premium wine sales are growing. The My Wine Advisor Wine Club fits this well- I search far and wide for excellent wines at the $25 price point and deliver them right to your door. Learn more here.
The next thing that comes to mind is changes in visiting wineries. Loyal readers know that I spend some part of almost any vacation wine tasting at the source. I’m pleased to report that the reservation craze has eased. You no longer need to book months in advance and you can now usually book the day before or even walk in. Something else I’ve learned is that even if Tock (the most widely used winery reservation system) says that there are no reservations, you can make a phone call (remember how to do that?) and you’re in. This also goes for restaurants too. Some wineries may still require a res- either it’s super exclusive or maybe it’s dictated by their liquor license, so if your heart is set on something, plan ahead. I also experienced fewer wineries where the host joins you as if they’re your good friend. Or maybe I just categorically avoid wineries who do that. Another potential change? Reduced tasting fees. In December I visited the very high end Linne Calodo Winery in Paso and the owner was proud to announce he was done with the $40+ tasting fee, reducing his to $20. Let’s hope others follow his lead.
It's not news that Red Blends are in, but what is new is that they are getting better. Winemakers are starting to make these in more of a European style where there is balance and elegance and not just tannic, alcohol bombs. This may be in part due to the availability of more varietals in California. More and more I’m seeing wineries embrace unique varietals. I’m doing a tasting today with a Vermentino, Fiano and a Montepulciano and last week I tasted a Cabernet Pfeffer- all from California. Speaking of the Pfeffer… there is also a delightful trend of lighter reds that are served chilled (a great way to serve a Pfeffer). I’m seeing more Gamay, more reds mixed with whites- all worthy of a little chill.
I want to believe that we are embracing more international wines, but other than Sauv Blanc from New Zealand or Shiraz from Australia, we pretty much stick to domestics and primarily from CA. I’d love to see folks experimenting with wines they’ve never heard of from places they’ve never tried. Overall, we still lack knowledge about international wines- it’s hard to buy something that we don’t understand. As a wine educator, I’ll try to do more to fix that!
Sparklers continue to grow in popularity- what’s not to like? They are coming in with more colors and from more parts of the world. Anytime I see a new sparkler on the wine list, I’m in. I recommend seeking out a Lambrusco for your next BBQ, I especially like the Cleto Chiarli. A sparkling Shiraz from Australia works for that too. I saw that Mumm Napa has recently made a sparkling Cabernet Sauvignon. If you find a Franciacorta on the shelf or menu be sure to try it. When I was in Italy last summer, I was delighted to find it almost everywhere on the apertivo offerings. The Aperol Spritz is now ubiquitous on our cocktail menus, but at home I recommend substituting that Aperol with other liquors- St. Germain, Campari, Lillet. I recently had one with an Amaro-type digestif and it was a completely different experience.
Finally, I read that although we seem to be drinking less wine, we appear to want to know more about it. Folks are seeking wine education and lucky for you, you are already in a wine education sphere. Check out the upcoming classes on the left side, consider joining the wine club, keep reading the newsletter as I try to keep putting it out as often as