News

The Buyer summarises findings from SOWINE and Dynata’s Wine & Drinks Barometer UK 2026, based on a representative survey of 1,002 UK consumers aged 18 to 65. Its central message is that UK drinkers are becoming more selective, better informed and more focused on experiences when choosing alcoholic drinks. Wine is becoming more knowledge-led and exploratory. SOWINE says 72% of consumers now think wine knowledge is essential to appreciation, up 20 percentage points on 2025, while the number of people describing themselves as wine experts has doubled. The implication is that consumers increasingly want to understand what they drink, not…

The Press Democrat has an interesting article that argues that wine’s biggest challenge is not competition from beer, spirits, cannabis or younger generations. Instead, many consumers struggle to predict what a bottle of wine will actually taste like before buying it, which leads to disappointment and discourages repeat purchases. The article draws on research from the Wine Market Council and flavour-analysis company Quini. Their findings suggest that wine is much harder for casual drinkers to understand than beer or cocktails. Many consumers cannot tell from a label whether a wine will be dry or sweet, and a majority say wine…

An article on Wine Searcher argues that white wine has overtaken red as the more dynamic part of the market, both culturally and commercially. It says red wine’s long-standing image as the default “serious” wine is fading, while whites are increasingly seen as fresher, lighter and more in tune with how people eat and drink now. Its central point is that this is not just a passing fashion. Drawing on OIV data, the article says red wine’s share of global production fell from about 48 percent in 2000 to roughly 43 percent, while white wine rose and now accounts for…

The Drinks Business is reporting that there may be a risk of disruption to the UK drinks supply chain because workers at Encirc’s Elton glass plant, which supplies bottles for major brands and supermarket wines, have announced further strike dates in April and May after planned job cuts of nearly 30 roles. Unite argues this could hit bottle availability and potentially lead to shortages in the coming months. It also says the dispute is tied to worker concerns about staffing levels, fatigue, and health and safety, though Encirc rejects those claims. The article adds a wider industry angle, noting that…

The finalists for the sixth Star Wine List of the Year UK awards have been announced, which recognise the country’s best restaurant and bar wine lists. The 2026 competition attracted a record number of entries and 66 venues were selected by an expert panel of Masters of Wine and sommeliers. Winners will be revealed on 23 March 2026 at an invitation-only ceremony in London, and the international category winners will go on to a global final in Sweden later in the year. The finalists come from across the UK, although London dominates, and include previous gold-star winners returning to defend…

New research from the University of Zurich looks at how wine choices communicate something about the drinker’s values, depending on the situation in which the wine is chosen. Using experiments with over 1,200 wine buyers, the authors show that consumers consistently read meaning into visible wine cues such as bottle design, back-label stories and tasting notes, and that these meanings influence what people choose in different contexts. The key finding is that wines are interpreted as expressing different kinds of values. Traditional labels, heritage stories, famous critics’ scores and references to prestige tend to signal reliability, achievement, status and respect…

The UK Government is considering tougher drink-driving rules as part of a renewed effort to cut road deaths and serious injuries. Newly announced proposals aim to reduce casualties on Britain’s roads by 65 per cent by 2035, with a particular focus on lowering the amount of alcohol drivers are legally allowed to have in their system. At present, the legal drink-drive limits in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood, and 107 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine. These limits have been in place for…

Bibendum’s new Wine Trend Report 2026 argues that UK hospitality venues have had a tough year, with restaurants driving declines as consumers cut back on eating out and with added headwinds around younger drinkers entering the category. The report frames this as a moment where tighter spending and changing occasions can still create opportunities for better-focused wine lists. It highlights several broad market shifts for 2026. Wine lists are expected to polarise towards either genuinely affordable choices or bottles that feel meaningful, putting pressure on the “middle” of the list unless each wine has a clear reason to be there.…

Light strike is a well-known but often underestimated cause of wine spoilage, particularly in white and rosé wines. Despite increasing awareness, it’s becoming more common to see wines displayed under feature lights in both supermarkets and hospitality settings. Some retailers are even installing lighting within wine racks to make displays more appealing, likely unaware that this could be damaging the wine. A recent study has highlighted just how quickly light exposure can trigger faults. Riboflavin, a naturally occurring compound in wine, begins to break down under light. This breakdown leads to the formation of volatile sulphur compounds, responsible for unpleasant…

A new report looks at 10 years of wine drinking at 67 Pall Mall London using sales data, a member survey and a round table. It finds members moving beyond a Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne core into regions such as South Africa, England, Piedmont, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal and Greece, mainly in search of value and freshness. Members buy and store less for long-term ageing, prefer wines that are ready to drink and are drinking less Sauvignon Blanc, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and lighter, “Burgundy-style” reds in the ascendant. Price and climate change dominate concerns. Many feel Bordeaux and Burgundy En…