THE TOP FACTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT WINE IN 2011: TRENDS THAT MADE 2011 MEMORABLE ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE “WINE ENTHUSIAST”, THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS IN THE WINE WORLD ACCORDING TO THE UK MAGAZINE “THE DRINK BUSINESS”

First, a step back: after the 2012 estimates according to the U.S. and Europe, let’s have a look at the top facts of 2011. On the other side of the ocean “Wine Enthusiast” (www.winemag.com) ranks the top trends: first of all, says the magazine edited by Adam Strum, the return to the taste of “old world” wines that have less alcohol and more acid, so the more alcoholic and “fruit bomb” wines are less and less in vogue. It was the year of the ever more popular Riesling and Malbec, which “upstaged” Cabernet on the U.S. market. 2011 also registered a new boom in bubbles, with Prosecco in the lead. And Muscat was tops among the Millenials. More and more restaurants have once again offered half bottles of wine on their lists and then there was the diffusion of Ipad apps for wine lovers.
The U.K. magazine ”The Drink Business” (www.thedrinksbusiness.com), instead, drew up the “Top Ten” facts of 2011. Number one is the “collapse of Oddbins” the giant English wine chain that shut down 1 in 4 stores. Number two position is the split of the giant Foster’s beer and wine business. Then, the first tasting of the vintage 2010 Bordeaux that according to Robert Parker could be one of the 3 best vintages ever. In fourth place, the difficult grape harvests in California and Australia that were “climate clobbered”.
Number five is the announcement of Fortune Brands possible abandonment of “Beam Global Spirits and Wine” which still reigns over its main competitors like Diageo and Campari. Number six, the controversy over biodynamic and organic wines “labeled” “non sense” by the Australian wine guru Richard Smart. In seventh position, the sale of Constellation Brands wine divisions in Australia and the U.K. to the Australian Champ in Sidney. Number 8, the case (still pending) of the Master of Wine Pancho Campo, who it seems made the Spanish wine cellars pay 40.000 euros for a visit by Jay Miller of “The Wine Advocate (in the meantime, Parker has “removed” him from his position, ed). Number 9 is Diageo’s purchase of distribution companies in emerging countries (like China), to consolidate its own position. Finally, number 10 is the sale of Rémy Cointreau’s champagne division to the Société Européenne de Participations Industrielles for 412 million euros…