Charcoal wine ‘the future’ says Armit futurologist

Charcoal-flavoured wine, edible glassware and wine bottles delivered by drone are just some of the predictions made by a futurologist on wine, as part of research commissioned by fine wine merchant Armit Wines.

According to food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye, Brits will be drinking less but better quality and more locally produced wines in the future, from edible wine glasses.

One of the predicted trends, which are closer than some to becoming a reality, is the use of drones will offer instant wine deliveries, while Gaye also thinks labels on bottles will be replaced by virtual information via a smart phone.

Iris recognition could also be integrated with ID vending machines, says Gaye, allowing consumers to make purchases with their eyes, which will also record their previous purchases automatically.

The rise of the African cucumber, black sesame and charcoal-flavoured wines were also tipped by Gaye as future trends, along with the rise of homebrew craft wines.

“Future wine drinkers will be a much more educated consumer who want quality and unique points of difference in both product flavours and packaging,” said Gaye. “They will be interested in transparent provenance and detail on its craftsmanship, trading up for unusual flavour profiles and considered, eco-friendly bottles, that are a talking point when sharing. All of these factors will contribute to a sophisticated future in wine drinking.”

Gaye’s research was commissioned by Armit Wines to mark its 30th year in business, and peer into the future to identify the trends that will not only shape the wine industry, but help inform the trade of how best to react.

“We have clearly seen the trend for drinking less, but better, across the breadth of our customer base, but it’s been insightful working with Dr Gaye to gaze into the crystal ball of vinification,” said Kirsten Kilby, managing director of Armit Wines. “With competitive delivery in all sectors of the industry, drones would certainly help us put customer service first! From growing wine in your back garden to edible glassware, we are excited for what the future holds for the wine industry and beyond.”

Click thorough for Gaye’s thoughts on some of the innovations that could become the norm for future generations of wine lovers:-

Drone the hatch: Instant wine delivery

“As online shopping continues to grow, instant wine delivery via drones will eventually become the norm, with retailers capable of depositing products at specific, local drone sites for click and collect. This digital service will avoid congestion issues and out of hours business to deliver a much more immediate service.

“This will thrive in the hospitality industry as restaurants and bars look to order at times convenient to them, such as after service. Oenophiles with cash to flash, will also have instant delivery of fine wines to exotic locations at a moment’s notice.”

Virtual vinification via label-less bottles

“Replacing traditional information labels, brands will produce label-less bottles that smartphones can scan to get detailed information on how, when and where it was made, using QR codes and AR.

“We will also see a greater variety of shapes, sizes and materials that will enable brands to become much more distinctive and give greater stand-out on-shelf.”

Paint the town green: Edible glasses and bottles

Hanging back lit wine glasses.

“When it comes to packaging, compostable, non-plastic glasses made from corn starch will come to the fore. The ‘glass’ is fully-compostable, so festival-goers can party like rock-stars whilst doing their bit for the planet. Edible bottles will also help counteract packaging waste; with wine bottled in an edible membrane made from sugar substitute, isomalt.

“Brazilian company – Embraoa, has started developing edible membranes from papaya, complementing wine tasting profiles with the flavour of the vessel itself, bringing a whole new meaning to wine pairing!”

Iris recognition ID vending machines

“Shops and online will no longer be the only way we will buy wine either. Premium vending machines, similar to those in Japan, will dispense alcohol using iris recognition-technology to identify if the consumer is of legal drinking age.

“After the first purchase, the machine will even record personal preferences, to make recommendations for potential future purchases.”

Wining and dining

“The nation’s drinking habits will continue to change. Brits will drink less alcohol but enjoy better-quality products that are produced locally. Also, rather than drinking alone to unwind, cultural drinking habits will be dictated by a growing ‘sharing society’, one which puts more focus on collaborative cooking, food growing and communal dining; creating multiple meal times and occasions to share.

“This catalytic change and a flourishing eating out market, brings with it many more socially-acceptable opportunities throughout the day to the imbibe a quality glass of wine in the company of friends and family (hurrah!).”

Out with house wine in with home-brewed English ‘craft-wine’

“The UK’s increasingly temperate climate, ideal for growing grapes; an increasing appetite for knowing the source of our produce; and a desire for trying new artisan experiences; will contribute to wine lovers growing and sharing their own home-made ‘craft-wine’.

“This follows the success of British wine brands like Digby Fine English, Chapel Down, Nyetimber and prestigious Champagne brands such as Taittinger producing their own English wine in Kent.”

The rise of new fruit wines and flavour profiles

“In order to produce local wine in non-grape growing regions, seasonal fruits such as damson, greengage, and Mirabelle plums along with nostalgic flavours like rose and violet, will come into play in Europe. Further afield, the complex flavours of the horned melon or African cucumber, will also lend itself to an indigenous New Zealand wine portfolio.

“On the whole, flavour profiles will become increasingly bitter, floral or earthy with black pigmented foods (and we thought red wine stains were tricky) such as black sesame and charcoal coming to the forefront.”