While in Cornucopia, I was excited to attend an event called “The Next Big Things – Wine Trends” which was put on by Barbariain Wine Consulting. Barb and Iain discussed the wine trends of the past, and what we would likely see in the future of wine. I was very excited to hear that the future held more Italian wine.
We were lucky enough to try some incredible wines, from all over the world. I definitely had a few favourite wines (and some wine trends that stuck out to me, for that matter).
Trend 1: Italian
People in North America are fascinated with Italian culture. I can certainly relate, as I’ve had the fortune of going there twice and being immersed in their wine culture. Some of the best wines in the world, in my opinion, are from Italy. Here are some of my favourites from the tasting:
Mionetto Prosecco Brut – $19.99
Iain told us a funny story about Prosecco. In 2007, Paris Hilton made a “Prosecco” that she sold in the states (the grapes were imported from Germany). The Italians were so outraged by the debasement of their wine that they fought for two years to make sure that only wine grown in the region Prosecco could bear the name.
Mionetto is crisp, prickly, fresh and tastes slightly of apple. It is a true Italian Prosecco, down to the classic style and region. Prosecco sales are growing 24 per cent in B.C. Iain and Barb also mentioned the increase in consumption of the Italian grape Trebbiano. This grape is the most widely planted varietal in Italy. Mostly used for casual table wines, it’s now becoming a little more hip. The price point for these wines are quite low, which is great for the B.C. consumer.
Jacob’s Creek Moscato – $11.99
While this wine clearly isn’t from Italy (in fact, it’s from Australia), the Moscato grape was made famous due to the Italian Moscato D’Asti region. Many producers around the world are making their wines in a similar style, as a nod to the Italian culture. To be honest, I was blown away by not only the price point of this wine, but also the flavours. It is very sweet and would be perfect with a fruit flan for dessert. Moscato sales increased 30 per cent this year in B.C., and this wine’s sales have increased 400 per cent. Get a case.
Trend 2: California Blends
Enamoured with California life and culture, people in North America (and the world, for that matter), are gravitating towards easy drinking red blends from California. A lot of these wines contain higher residual sugar and lower alcohol content, meaning that they’re approachable.
Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend – $19.99
Made by Dave Matthews, this wine provokes another question: are celebrity wines the next trend? Putting that aside, this wine is easy to drink, has a blend of many different varietals to make it approachable to the consumer and is part of a $10-million industry. It’s a crowd-pleaser and nice enough to bring to your next party.
Trend 3: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
This is a trend that I’ve been behind for a few years. I love New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. As Barb, our instructor, said, it’s so distinct from an aroma and flavour stand point that if you were to be blind-taste tested on any wine, you’d want this to be in your glass.
900 Grapes Sauvignon Blanc – $19.99
This was a new wine to me, which is surprising because I thought I had tasted all New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. It’s produced in the famous Marlborough wine region, and has notes of asparagus, lemon and freshly cut grass. This wine is pungent with flavour and high in acidity, and is a great wine with salad.
Now you know what’s trending in the wine world. Please leave a comment with your favourite wine trends!
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