Rosè, “natural” wines, with sustainable packaging and more: the 2020 trends in the glass by Bibendum

Attention to sustainable packaging that grows to the point of becoming almost maniacal, the rosé that will continue to grow in the glass, waiting for the arrival of the pink version of Prosecco, the ever-increasing search for “naturalness” in the production process, and still great attention to the regional expressions of the wines of Spain, but also to the productions of countries such as Austria, or areas of the world such as South America: these are among the beverage trends to be considered in 2020 according to the now traditional forecasts of Bibendum, one of the most important players in the UK beverage market, where 13% of the bottles uncorked are in the on-trade channel, which, from its observatory, anticipates a trend in consumption in one of the key world wine markets, such as the UK, and which will remain so, net of the evolution of Brexit, also for Italy’s wine. Among the different trends, the one that will concern the Belpaese most closely is the one linked to the phenomenon of rosés: already today, explains Bibendum, 1 consumer out of 4 regularly drinks rosé wines, and there is great expectation for the debut of the rosé version of Prosecco, with the champion of Italian wines across the Channel that has recorded yet another double-digit growth (+28%) in consumption outside the home. A cross-cutting trend, however, linked to the rose, which will also involve spirits, for example, as cross-cutting to wine and other beverages is that of sustainable packaging, now essential for every drink, sales channel, and price positioning. According to Bibendum, this is something that 87% of consumers take very seriously. And on this front, for example, we expect a new boom in canned wine, as well as wine (but also cocktails) on tap, and, in general, will be rewarded all those brands that invest to reduce their impact on the environment. Another phenomenon that will be rewarded by consumers, according to the forecasts of Bibendum, will be that of “neo-natural”, which will meet the producers, more and more in the world, who focus on methods with minimal intervention in the process of wine production, with a philosophy that will also affect the world of beers. On wine, in particular, the spotlight will be on wines refermented in bottles, destined to set trends in the premium segment of on-trade consumption. In this way, the category of “Low and no” will continue to grow, that is, of all the growing offer of wines, beers and more, with little or even completely alcohol-free. At an oenological level, there is also a focus on Spain and its regional expressions, from Rioja to Catalonia, from Galicia to the Canary Islands, based on vines such as Tempranillo, Carignano, Verdejo, Bobal, and Albariño, as well as on wines from South America, but from lesser-known countries in the area, such as Uruguay and Bolivia, while on the shields of there are also wines from Austria, which are gaining popularity especially with sparkling wines. Still, among the other trends reported by Bibendum, the growth of carbonated drinks with low sugar and alcohol content, the growing influence, especially in the mixology, of the flavors of the East, with liquors and spices from Japan, China and Korea, and Asia in general on the rise, and artisanal coffee-based drinks.