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. By-the-glass is positioned as a key lever because it lowers the perceived risk of trading up in a moderation-minded climate, especially where preservation systems support more premium pours. The report also points to an upmarket push in rosé, particularly tiered Provence selections, alongside a continuing reliance on “safe” anchors, notably France and Italy, with fewer niche regions appearing on premium lists. Sparkling ranges are forecast to broaden beyond the Prosecco-and-Champagne default, and lighter red styles are presented as a way to fit earlier, more refreshment-led occasions.
From those shifts, Bibendum’s top ten trends for 2026 centre on both familiar categories and more exploratory sourcing. Pinot Noir continues to grow, but with increasing interest beyond Burgundy into places such as the US, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. French white wine growth is still led by classic regions and grapes, yet the report expects more listings of lesser-known varieties and blends. It also flags cooler-climate Australian Shiraz, a wider set of Piedmont white grapes, and the expanding stylistic range of white Rioja from fresh to richly aged examples.
The remaining trends include a Garnacha revival in Spain built around more refined, less oaky expressions, renewed momentum in Alsace driven by a newer generation and a wider mix of styles, and a resurgence in California focused on classic varieties while diversity increases. The report also expects English still wine to benefit from the “halo effect” created by strong English sparkling demand, helped by warmer and more consistent growing conditions, and it points to Portuguese rosé as a category showing more diversity in weight and style than many lists currently reflect. All of this is based on Bibendum’s Wine MODE tracking of trends in UK hospitality venues.
