Sauvignon Blanc tops red-heavy Christmas sales at Laithwaite's

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 08 December, 2015

Sauvignon Blanc will be the most popular wine in the UK this Christmas, according to customer analysis from leading online retailer Laithwaite's.

It accounts for over 10% of the wines being bought by the retailer's 400,000-strong customer base as the festive season approaches.

However, red wines still dominate the top ten varietals purchased at Laithwaite's, with Tempranillo, Grenache, Merlot and Shiraz completing the top five.

Malbec, in ninth position, is the fastest growing varietal, showing a 30% uplift year on year.

Chardonnay's popularity is reviving, and it has now over taken Pinot Grigio in sales volumes, taking the sixth place in the ranking.

A quarter of all Laithwaite's rosé sales take place in the run-up to Christmas, with younger wine drinkers driving its success.

Some 28% of 18-to-34 year-olds would be happy to drink rosé on Christmas Day compared to 11% of people of those 45 and over.

Santa

Laithwaite's is also reporting a 51% increase in web orders on the previous year.

Beth Willard, wine buyer at Laithwaite's, said: "Whether it's accompanying the roast or bringing in the New Year, wine is as embedded in the festive period as mince pies, brussels and the Queen's Speech, so it's fascinating to see how our tastes are changing at this time of year.

"Chardonnay is really starting to make up ground on its rivals and despite being viewed as a summer wine, Rosé is clearly popular at this time of year, as a good alternative to red with the roast. Malbec has enjoyed a phenomenal rise in the last year, but it's Sauvignon Blanc's popularity that keeps it top of Christmas wish lists."

Founded in 1969, Laithwaite's offers over 1,000 wines from 22 countries.

It is the only UK wine merchant to win the ServiceMark accreditation from the Institute of Customer Service.