LWF: UK wine market niche trends

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 06 May, 2016

Masculine wines, sophisticated rosés and fruit-flavoured sparkling offerings have put themselves on the map as emerging trends, which will continue to gain traction over the course of the next few years.

These emerging markets were highlighted by Sophia Shaw-Brown at the IWSR - UK Wine Trends briefing at the London Wine Fair yesterday (May 5).

According to Shaw-Brown, these trends will continue to challenge existing wine perceptions across the industry into the latter-half of 2016 and beyond.

She said: "Masculine wines are aimed at millennial consumers. They're fuss-free and usually reds which are trying to break with tradition with stand-out packaging.

"There is also a trend for contemporary wines with bold and abstract designs. Consumers are looking for individuality."

Another key trend is the sophistication of rosé, which is re-gaining ground as a occasion-wine and attracting male drinkers as well as female.

Excitement is also growing around fruit-flavoured sparkling wines.

"Business are trying to capture a part of this market in any way they can," Shaw-Brown said.

The final segment of the seminar focused on the UK trade taking packaging cues from across the Atlantic.

Shaw-Brown said: "The perception of boxed wines over the past ten years is that they are low quality, but in the US they're showing they can be premium. Spritzer cans are also an undeveloped market. There is reluctance within the industry to venture into cans. Gallo have had success with a single-serve offering and there is a definite trend moving towards instant consumption."

By-the-glass-vials were also mentioned as another packaging innovation from the US.

Currently, American company Vine Box is offering 100ml vials for consumers to experiment with at a premium price point.

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