Wine trends of 2010: Americans still drink wine !

Wine trends to look forward to in 2010

2009 was a year in turmoil but as the year wines down we can now start to look forward to the wine trends of 2010. The wine industry is now leaner and meaner. They have to be market savvy because it doesn’t have to be repeated too many times, Americans are still wary about the economy. If you haven’t lost your job or are anticipating loosing yours, you still have one thing on your mind and that’s your bottle of wine.

Let’s face it, we all know someone who has lost their job. Some of us can’t even afford a vacation to escape the onslaught of terrible news brought to us by our favorite cable station. You never needed a bottle more than now and you’re not about to give it up. Even during economically tough times Americans are not ready to give up their pleasures, whether it is drinking, smoking or even chocolate. They might scale down but give up? Never! All said, the recession is producing at least one notable wine sale trend and that’s value. Mintel reports that ...” the future of the wine market looks bright, at least for the moderately priced segments”.

So as we go forward and enjoy our little pleasures in life, what and how should we drink in 2010?

Boxed wines-Yes that’s right the box is in again. Boxed wines are becoming popular in European countries because of their eco-friendliness, value and portability. Would you serve a box wine to company? That’s entirely up to you. The jury is still out.

Lower prices/value wines Wines selling below $35 will do well, but wines between $50-$125 are in a dead space with only established labels selling (Source: Silicon Valley Bank Premium Wine Group). While consumers still aspire to luxury and always will, today if you buy an expensive wine you may even have consumer’s feelings of guilt for having the means to afford a very expensive wine. Trading down is most evident and as mentioned Americans are not giving up their wine pleasures but are looking toward value.

Use of social media as a marketing tool. The wine industry is notoriously slow at embracing new technologies. However, it is clear that Social Networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Vincellar Cellartracker and Wine 2.0 represent a new paradigm for consumer action and motivation (Source www.vintak.com).

Blogging will continue Wine bloggers do have power. People like Dr. Vino, Alder Yarrow and Gary Vaynerchuk have tremendous audiences. They are the stars of the wine blogosphere. The wine blogosphere in aggregate has a larger audience than any single traditional media company’s online presence.

High Use of Eco friendly practices-California has a remarkable high level of adoption of sustainable vineyard management practices. Many of the growers expressed an interest in adopting alternative energy sources such as solar or wind powered systems but high capital costs are listed as deterrent.

Millennials are the fastest growing consumer segment- Millennials belong to wine clubs and drink at wine bars. They are tech savvy and see wine as part of their move into adult life. Watch out boomers the Millennials drink wine and like it. Of course they also watch Wine Library TV and have a wine app for their iPhone.

Wine and technology will continue to go together. Wine lovers love to wine shop and need wine apps for their iPhones. Wine app usage will continue as the consumer gets savvy and more concerned about wine prices.
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Happy New Year .... Divers Luck Welcomes 2010

Hi to all our Divers Luck friends, to let you know we are open as normal during the Summer School Holidays.

Coming soon to our cellar door we will be offering a new spin on our Port, we are working to develop some new taste sensations, including 'Chilli Port' and 'Honey Port'.... more soon!