In the consumer world wine is fashion and consumers very happily follow trend. The surprise being that consumers shape the wine sector in ways that can be difficult to predict. So let’s look back.
In the 1990’s it was Australian wine and particularly Chardonnay that was very much in vogue. This grape variety was loved by every wine drinker and brought a new phenomenon to wine marketing – the female wine shopper.
In the noughties A.B.C. (Anything But Chardonnay) took hold and Chardonnay gave way to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. The statistics for the off-trade below show the continued popularity of the different grapes below.
- Sauvignon Blanc: 826,000 hl (+9%); £661m (+9%)
- Pinot Grigio: 609,000 hl (+1%); £420m (-1%)
- Chardonnay: 601,000 hl (-2%); £419m (-2%)
And that leads to the most recent of fashion statements that has taken the wine world by storm – Prosecco.
Just five years ago Prosecco was a little known sparkling wine from Italy, which didn’t warrant space on many lists apart from traditional Italian restaurants who had insight and knew what was on offer.
In 2010 a law was brought in by the local Venetian authorities to de-limit the region’s production and the grape from which it is produced – Glera. The variety was formerly known as Prosecco and took its name from the small town near Trieste.
Whilst the Champenois looked down their noses at the Prosecco producers for using the so-called inferior Charmat method of production, UK consumers especially have taken it to their hearts and mouths in a major way.
To such an extent that by 2018 the IWSR (International Wine and Spirit Research) forecast that Italian Sparkling wine shipments will be 8.1 million 9 litre cases or nearly 100 million bottles, 90% of which will be Prosecco.
The problem with this for the on-trade operator is that whilst the pull to include Prosecco on a list is undeniably strong, the opportunity for differentiation is small. The sector is dominated by supermarkets all flogging “Prosecco” to death.
Brand promotion leads us to differentiation, which the Champagne Houses have been very good at. 85% of their UK market taken by the so-called Grande Marques (big brands in Anglo Saxon).
Of course, the slightly stunned Champagne Houses, alarmed at Prosecco’s sudden growth, having their crown as the sparkling wine of choice removed, have not been slow in pointing this out. The lack of branding represents a long-term threat for Prosecco as a category, as it still trades largely as a commodity.
So what is the alternative for the on-trade operator who wants to still give the customer what they want and leave an imprint on the consumer experience?
You could seek out exclusive brands such as Coluccis Prosecco, which eloquently tells the story of the family name it bear’s and delivers a high quality Treviso Prosecco experience.
Or you could choose to take a different stance and recommend Franciacorta.
Franciacorta has been produced as a sparkling wine since 1961 with a rich winemaking history dating back to the 11th century. Bordering the picturesque Lake Iseo in Lombardy, the region’s total production is just 14 million bottles, 4% of Champagne’s production. This is the smallest of Italian winemaking regions with 3,000 hectares and sparkling wines produced from 3 varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. It is very similar to Champagne and is aged in the bottle. It takes 18 months to age a standard DOCG wine, 30 months for a declared vintage and 60 months for Reserva quality.
The Osservatorio Economico del Franciacorta reported that exports to the UK grew by 172% in 2014, albeit from a very small base. Overall global exports grew by a healthy 11%, with the UK representing 7.5% of those.
You can expect to pay more for Franciacorta as they are mostly small production wines, but what price for giving your customers memorable branded experiences?
So maybe the sparkling wines of Franciacorta are set to create a new line in UK wine fashion, remember that you heard it here first!
Alistair Morrell
Hospitality & Catering News, Wine Content Executive