Top 10 wine trends of 2012 – part 5

The Old World wins back ground

UK wine consumers are a spoilt lot. With wine pouring in from all over the world, our loyalties are challenged by the overwhelming choice on retailers’ shelves.

With its Anglophone-friendly branding and ability to produce vast quantities of cheap wine, New World countries have wooed many wine drinkers, but there are signs that the tide is turning.

For some, it’s a question of taste. Xavier Rousset MS, co-owner of London restaurants Texture and 28-50, reports: “We are seeing a shift back to the Old World,” linking this to demand for “lesser alcohol and oak level”.

Related to this is the food-friendly nature of so many European wines which is helping them gain a higher profile.

Ben Smith observes: “Analysis of our top-performing grape varieties over the past year shows remarkable growth for Montepulciano and Cortese.”

Explaining this surge, he remarks: “What was once very much restricted to Italian restaurants is now a regular on many more diverse lists – it has that chameleon-like ability to match with all sorts of bistro-type fare as well as typical fish dishes.” Nor is it just Italy putting in a strong performance, with Smith noting: “Spanish wines generally are becoming hugely trendy and this will only increase.”

It’s a view shared by Emma Nichols, head buyer for rescued UK retailer Oddbins, which recently unveiled its revamped range. Picking up on the issue of value for money, Nichols remarks: “I really hoped we’d find something amazing from Australia, but it’s been very hard work. Spain, Portugal and Italy are all areas with an awful lot to offer in terms of value for money, quality and diversity.”

France too continues to prove why, for all its fragmentation, it remains a reassuring bet for both consumers and trade buyers – and not just at the top end.

In addition to highlighting the logistical advantage of sourcing wine from the UK’s closest neighbour, Mark Poynton, chef-patron of Cambridge restaurant Alimentum, expresses his belief that: “The cheaper wines from the New World offer better margins, but they’re not very good. You need to spend about £15 to get something really decent.” As a result, he prefers to look to the Languedoc for his house Sauvignon Blanc.

The factor which will really make a difference in this competition to offer value for money, however, is exchange rates. Despite its problems, the euro remains strong against the sterling, but the New World currencies are also on the rise.

Thanks largely to their countries’ mineral wealth, the Chilean peso, Australia dollar and South African rand continue to strengthen.

At the moment, however, the balance still remains tipped against Europe, with Siobhan Gillespie of Haynes, Hanson & Clark, reporting: “We have sold more New World wine than ever before because of the strength of the euro.”

In particular, she points to the challenging situation at a key price point for independent retailers, saying: “It has been very hard to find drinkable French wines at £8, hence the popularity of New World wines. Chilean wines are climbing but they are still cheaper than their French counterparts.”

As Europe’s leaders battle to secure the future of the euro, currency looks set to play a significant role in 2012 trends.