In a recent article, the wine expert Felicity Carter - one of the most experienced and skilled wine writers I have worked with - lists seven wine trends in 2024 that every wine professional should care about. Here they are:
The collapse of the boundaries
Cans
Low and no-alcohol wines
White wines are supplanting reds
But big, bold reds are still strong
Wine Tourism
Health
We are overwhelmed by the news about climate change, the sustainability issue, the ecological transition, the rising costs of raw materials, and so on. Thus, if I were a buyer, I'd try to find the most trendy wines in a few numbers of countries possible to optimize my efforts. Well, I have good news! This place exists: it's Italy. Better, it's Veneto region. Mainly the Verona province. Here, there are all the wines that people appreciate more now.
First and foremost, let me skip the first point, as IMHO, it is not a category/style of product but rather a switch in the wine culture of some segments of consumers - mainly the younger ones - and even (sadly) in that of a part of the wine industry. This is unavoidable: if you think wine is merely a beverage, like Coca-Cola (but with alcohol), you don't care how it is made or where it comes from. You consume and produce it like a mere beverage.
Not to make it too long, I'd skip the second point too - a bit complicated to deal with - and go to the third one: low-alcohol wines (the no-alcohol ones are still being discussed in the political arenas of the EU countries). If you love this category of wine, you can find it among the latest vintages of Bardolino, Valpolicella, and Soave denominations, especially made by young producers. Their wines aren't lower than 11.5% Vol, but they are usually so balanced as to be dangerously drinkable. It's not only a matter of health; it's (also) a matter of taste. People are tired of heaviness -in all the senses - and look for lightness more and more.
3 and 4: white wines are supplanting reds, but big, bold reds are still strong. Well, in Verona province, four denominations are devoted to those categories of wines. In the production of whites, Soave is presumably one the most renowned: it boasts an extensive vineyard extension of over 6,000 hectares (= 40 million bottles of wine/year), cultivating the indigenous Garganega grape, famous for its crisp acidity and floral notes. In the areas surrounding the lake of Garda, Custoza denomination extends more than 3000 ha. It produces more than 12 million bottles/year. Unlike Soave, the Custoza wine blends white varieties; the principals are Cortese, Friulano, Garganega, and Trebbiano. Both Soave and Custoza produce sparkling wines, but the most crucial denomination in this category is Monti Lessini Durello, which is small and spans between Verona and Vicenza provinces. The grape is the autochtonous Durella, a sharp and crisp variety growing on the hilly portion of the eastern Lessini Mountains. Here, producers make about half a million bottles of sparkling Durello, mainly with the Charmat method. Still, the Classic Method is also rising in the preferences of Champagne style- lovers. Speaking about the big, bold red wines, who doesn't know Amarone della Valpolicella and Ripasso della Valpolicella? If the Eastern part of Verona province is the realm of white wines, the Western part is of red wines. The big, bold red wines made with dried grapes included. Even here, the style shifts towards a lighter, elegant, drinkable wine. However, there are still many Amarone made in the big, bold Nineteen years - style.
6. Wine Tourism. This is even easier! In Verona province, there are hundreds of ancient manors and villas - in Valpolicella, there are 400 - and some are renowned wine brands' headquarters. Would you instead love a more contemporary style of architecture? There's also that. Here, state-of-the-art wineries host modern art exhibitions or music concerts or organize many activities in the vineyards. In contrast, the smaller and simpler ones often bet on the authenticity card, managing a familiar and friendly hospitality. So, depending on your desire, you will find it in Verona wine production areas.
7. Health. Each of us cares about it. Again, it's a matter of culture. UNESCO declared Immaterial World Heritage the traditional diet of Italy and other Mediterranean countries. The wine plays a vital role in this diet. Unfortunately, even in Italy, many young people have a distorted view of what wine is and how it should be consumed: as a result, the danger of abuse is always present. That’s why we should push to create an eighth trend: thirst for fundamental knowledge of wine.
If you know it, you respect it and yourself.