Intangible benefits: Sweet wine’s World Heritage push
Last January, leading alcohol retailer Majestic reported a 15% rise in fortified wine sales over the previous six weeks. The figure might seem positive for the category, yet sales data from the festive season – when Ports and sherries are traditionally enjoyed at celebratory gatherings – are notoriously misleading. In fact, the category has been experiencing a sustained decline in recent years. Sherry, for example, recorded its third consecutive year of falling sales globally in 2024, at around 24m litres, down from just under 32m litres in 2022 (Consejo Regulador for sherry). And Port has been following a similar trajectory, with 2024 marking its fourth year of global decline, from 124m litres in 2021 to just under 115m litres in 2024 (IVDP).
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