Wine News by Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen – Robb Report – also known as the World Wine Guys, are wine spirits, food and travel writers, educators and
hosts.
Sparkling Wine Will Break Free of the Holidays
The Wine Press has been saying this for years, but it looks like consumers are finally embracing the idea that Champagne and other sparkling wines are not only for special occasions and holidays. Expect to see a lot more of your friends ordering a glass of Champagne or popping a bottle open at home at regular dinners and get-togethers, not just celebrations.
The Coming Bubble Boom will have people looking beyond Champagne
The increased demand for sparkling wine means that we’re all going to be drinking a vriety of styles and regions, including Spanish Cava; Italian Franciacorta, Trentodoc and Prosecco; and California sparkling. Wine bars, restaurants and shops will also be offering more renditions of ‘pet-nat’, a
natural sparkler than can be from anywhere wine is made.
Rosé is Going Haute
Drinking Rosé throughout the year has gone from tend to permanent status and we will see more and more premium offerings entering the market. We’ve been expecting to see luxury competition for pioneers in the space such as Domaine Ott, Château d’Esclans and Gérard Bertrand for some time, and LVMH’s major investment in Château Minuty earlier this year sealed the deal as far as we’re concerned. Expanded – and pricier – Rosé selections are on their way to a restaurant near you.
Expect Italy to Heat Up the Auction Block
We tapped Nick Pegna, Sotheby’s global head of wine and spirits, for his thoughts, and he in turn polled some of the auction house’s younger specialists to see what they’re hearing about new bright spots in the wine sphere. According to Pegna, Piedmont is on its way up in the auction world, so look to see more Barolo and Barbaresco. We’ve been hearing a lot about (and tasting plenty of) Brunello as well, so keep an eye on Italy’s three B’s.
Connoisseurs Will Have Better Options for Low and No-Alcohol Wines
As Dry January, Sober October, ‘Mindful Drinking’ and well, just drinking less persist in their upward climb, no and low alcohol wine will continue to grow as well. Many people stop drinking temporarily for numerous reasons that include pregnancy, medication regimes or training for a marathon or triathlon, yet they still want to enjoy the social aspect of having a glass of wine with friends.
Although at the onset the category was flooded with low quality dealcoholized bulk wine, we are seeing a growth in single vineyard offerings from well-known regions.
You’ll Be Hearing More About Carbon Footprints
The future of the wine industry is in peril due to rising summer temperatures and unstable weather patterns, and many producers are taking it upon themselves to sound the alarm and become changemakers. Expect to see an increase in the number of back labels talking about sustainability, low water utilization, and regenerative farming, and don’t be surprised when even top icon wines start using lighter-weight bottles to reduce the impact of freight shipping and material usage.
Younger wine drinkers are driving the movement toward transparency on this front.
White Wine’s Upswing Is Nigh
While it was thought for many years that serious wine drinkers only drink red wine, it is now obvious that for multiple reasons white wine is finally starting to be treated with equal respect. A lot of attention is being paid to white Burgundy, Napa, and Sonoma Chardonnay, the whites of the Rhône Valley, and Riesling and other aromatic varieties from Germany, Austria, Alsace, and Alto Adige in Italy. And we’re seeing a rise in interest in premium white wine from Spain, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, New Zealand, and other Italian regions. As much as we love our steak and Cabernet Sauvignon, since we all are moving toward a lighter style of eating—at least occasionally—we are going to see our wine choices change to match.
Two Words Collide – June NZ House & Garden
If you can’t decide between wine or beer, check out Garage Project’s Savoir Faire Pinot Noir Raspberry ’18. It’s a beer/wine hybrid, made from hand-harvested Marlborough pinot noir grapes, lightly crushed, added to a specially brewed malt wort and allowed to ferment for a week before being aged in oak wine barrels then rested on fresh raspberries. 750ml $35 from garageproject.co.nz.
Something Different – July NZ House & Garden
SOUTHERN CHARMS: New to the gin game, Bluff Distillery draws inspiration from the spirit of New Zealand’s southernmost town, making gin that reflects the essence of Bluff – ‘clean, bold and unapologetically authentic’. The London Dry-style gin comes in a custom bottle in the shape of an old glass buoy, a symbol of the maritime heritage that defines this tiny town. 700ml $89.85 from bluffdistillery.com.
ROCKIN’ VERMOUTH: Central Otago distillery Scapegrace has teamed up with its wine-making neighbours, Profhet’s Rock, to produce Scapegrace x Prophet’s Rock Vermouth, available in red and white. Mostly made with local ingredients, the white vermouth is bright and herbaceous with candied floral notes, finishing woody and bitter with wild thyme and wormwood. 705ml $72 from prophetsrock.co.nz and scapegracedistilleryy.com.
