Trends effect everything from fashion, music and food – it’s no surprise this extends to the wine industry. So what’s hot or not in current wine trends? Our friends over at Wine Selectors asked the winemakers themselves.

Hot wine trends

Classic wines

For award-winning Hunter Valley winemaker Andrew Thomas, classic varieties will always be on point. Since his first vintage in 1997, Andrew has focused on producing top-shelf examples of the two signature varieties of the Hunter Valley, Semillon and Shiraz. After 28 years and countless awards, this remains his core focus.

Moderation

The trend of enjoying quality over quantity is apparent in the Australian wine industry. People are drinking less wine; however, the wine they are consuming is premium and of a high standard.

Primary fruit

Flavours and aromas in wine are described as primary, secondary, or tertiary. Primary fruit comes directly from the grape varietal and the conditions in which it grows. Some examples include stonefruits like peach and apricot in Chardonnay and red fruits like raspberry and strawberry in Pinot Noir.

Sustainable farming

More and more Australian wineries are treading the path to sustainability and embracing eco-friendly winemaking. From using organic and biodynamic viticulture principles to sustain superior soil structure to investing in lightweight and recycled bottles, there is a massive movement towards minimising carbon footprint and looking after the land for future generations.

Wine trends that are ‘not’

Minimal intervention, lofi, skin contact

Lo-fi refers to a winemaking style that emphasises minimal intervention in the winemaking process with no or few additions or adjustments made throughout the fermentation process. The wines are often unfiltered and unfined.

Overuse of oak/ripe fruit

When it comes to using oak in wine, it’s all about balance. Oak should offer structure and complexity to the wine and support the full expression of the vineyard site rather than assert its own characteristics.

Faulty, natural wine

‘Natural’ wines started as a buzzword in wine in the early 2000s. The ‘natural’ winemaking movement produces wines with the bare minimum of human intervention— no additions, adjustments, filtration, or fining. Unusual and funky flavours like barnyard and earthiness are faults often viewed as characteristics of this winemaking style. Some people find them appealing, yet others consider them flaws.

So, there it is – what’s hot or not in current wine trends.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post by our friends over at Wine Selectors.

Learn more about Wine Selectors