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 Primeur has become poor value and over-hyped, so they increasingly favour mature wines by the glass or bottle rather than tying up money for years. Rising fine-wine prices are pushing people towards mid-tier wines and new regions, and there is anxiety that warming climates will distort classic styles in places like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Rioja and Napa. Members use a mix of critics, merchants and peer sites such as CellarTracker, but are wary of scores and marketing, and pay more attention to alcohol level than to sustainability labels, even though they dislike heavy bottles and greenwashing. Overall, the club expects more Burgundy-like styles, more diversity of regions and a stronger focus on drinkability and shared enjoyment rather than collecting or investment.
