Where to start? Covid-19 upended all our oenophile habits, shifting how we buy wine (online more than ever), how we taste and learn about it (virtually), and where we end up drinking it. (Not at parties, bars, and restaurants.)
Thankfully, many cities considered wine shops to be essential businesses. Vino has been a great connector this year, as we’ve shared glasses with friends virtually and traveled by proxy to regions we can’t visit.
Surprisingly, the pandemic didn’t shift what we put in our glasses all that much. Rosé is still hot. So is hard seltzer, which, along with canned cocktails (both, ugh!), grew 43% during 2020. Bubbly is still going strong, with more countries than ever producing great examples (read: Brazil).
The earliest harvest ever in Burgundy and devastating fires in California wine country for the fourth year in a row reminded people that climate change is a truly serious issue, and inspired new wine initiatives to save the planet.
Expect many of 2020’s trends to evolve in 2021—the health and wellness alcohol-free drinks boom, the canned and boxed wine movement, vino from extreme regions—helped along by new digital and AI technology innovations, even if everyone really dreams of returning to sharing wine with others outside their homes.
Here’s what else I see in my crystal glass:
Pink prosecco is the new new thing
Rosé. Just. Doesn’t. Stop. Retailer Wineaccess.com sold seven (!) times more bottles of rosé wine in 2020 than in summer 2019.
I’m betting 2021’s big pink drink will be prosecco rosé. At the end of November, the approved category launched in Italy, which already has a boom in big-value pink wines. John Gillespie, founder and chief executive officer of market research firm Wine Opinions, says that combining the prosecco trend with the rosé trend is as close to a sure thing for success in the U.S. as he’s seen.
More than 100 labels have sought U.S. approval. A couple are already on shelves, and more are coming in 2021. I’ll be reporting on which are worth drinking.
Online wine access will get way better
Online sales are booming with growth in the three digits. Rob McMillan, founder of Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division, reports that for small producers, it’s 153%. Expect new and expanded shopping sites and search engines in 2021.