“We play an important role in retaining existing wine lovers as well as attracting the next generation of wine enthusiasts.”
Jessica, who will speak at the New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology (NZSVO) 2024 technical workshop, themed ‘Keeping it Fresh’, says that means providing an interesting and attractive environment for the consumer, helping retain existing wine lovers and attracting the next generation. “Staying relevant to our audience and staying constantly in motion in the business is key,” she says, noting that wine producers are also working to ‘keep it fresh’, with new and engaging ways to market their wines. “In an attempt to refrain from stuffy phrases and convoluted wine words, they are seeking ways to represent their wines visually to appeal to different markets and a wider audience.”
In 2022 Noble Rot launched Wine-oji, which uses emoji-like images to describe a wine. Consumers can, for example, order a Wine-oji Blind Wine Flight then guess what their wines are using the Wine-oji library, which helps them identify the aromas and flavours, says Jessica, Chief Wine-olojist. “Our ethos at Noble Rot revolves around making wine approachable and enjoyable in a relaxed atmosphere, and this really hits the spot with our guests.”
Wine events and winemaker dinners are another way to explore what’s fresh in the wine world, she says. “When creating wine events, our sommeliers are often inspired by current trends and unusual topics to draw in both a new and regular crowd. Events focussed on skin contact wines, a sparkling wine degustation, and even a chocolate themed wine event are all recent favourites.”
When it comes to fresh trends, she says no-and-low alcohol demand is growing, and initiatives like Dry July negatively affect wine sales. Skin-contact wines is a trend she’s also seen rising over the past five years, as are unusual wines coming from their native grape varieties and regions, such as Barbera from Piedmont or Pinotage from Stellenbosch. “Consumers are becoming more adventurous and looking to try wines which they may never have had the confidence to try before – a trend that seems to have increased following the restrictions of Covid.”
Tristan Hemi Colenso says it’s hard to track wine trends at Cahn’s Wines & Spirits in downtown Auckland, because the customers and wine choices are so diverse. “Everyone who comes into our store is buying something different – which we love.” But it’s a topic he’s been thinking about a lot in the lead up to the NZSVO Workshop, where he is also presenting. “Having dealt with both the older and newer generations of wine consumers, I can say tastes vary, but also the way wine is approached from the label, style, price and etiquette.” He’s noted a growing interest in skin-fermented whites and oranges wines in older demographics, while chilled reds and new-world vermouths are an increasingly common request. “Also, the amazing wine a patron has at a restaurant and wants to purchase for their home cellar is a common trend.” But he’s also seen a drop in the average spend per bottle, while wine prices climb. There are still customers “buying large” but most people have to think about where their money is going, he says. “The tough part is the consistency with which customers are spending. You just don’t how your day is going to pan out when you open the doors. Once upon a time you could guarantee Friday would be busy and Monday would be quiet –but not anymore. You just have to wait and see.”
Tristan says communication between winemakers and those who sell their wines is a crucial tool, “so we can keep being innovative and maintain that newer generation of wine consumers.” And while trends may shift, he doesn’t think many wines fall completely out of fashion. “There is always going to be that person who wants a buttery and oaky chardonnay, so we still need them.”
The NZSVO Technical Workshop is on in Blenheim on 15 October. nzsvo.org.nz/technical-workshops.
