The change in wine world between consumption decline and No-Lo at Merano WineFestival

Not only great Italian wines and gastronomic excellence: in a time of deep changes in the food and wine world marked by declining wine consumption, new lifestyles, environmental challenges, and the need to compete globally, the spotlight at the 2025 Merano WineFestival will be on the future of wine and beyond, kermesse which is back on the stage in Merano from November 7th to 11th, once again under the direction of “The WineHunter” Helmuth Köcher, with the theme “Vision: Wine & Food Creators”.
All the festival’s key elements are confirmed for its edition No. 34: Friday will feature “TasteTerroir – bio & dynamica” and the awarding of the “WineHunter Award Platinum” and “WineHunter Stars” (with the WineHunter guide available online from August, 18th), Tuesday will be dedicated to the Metodo Classico with “Catwalk Champagne & more”, but not only. “In light of the global decline in wine consumption reaching a historic low of 21.4 billion liters in 2024 (according to Oiv, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine), and the parallel rise of the no- and low-alcohol segment, “Merano WineFestival” invites all the players in the wine industry to look ahead,” explains a note.
“Since 1992, our goal has never been to follow fashion trends, but to anticipate the transformations shaping the world of wine and taste - affirms Helmuth Köcher, founder of the Merano WineFestival - in 1997, we expanded our vision to include a selection of Italian food excellences, establishing three commissions: one for gourmet delicacies, one for spirits, and one for craft beers. This evolution led to the creation of the Culinaria, Beer Passion, and Aquavitae areas, an essential step to enhance the dialogue between wine and gastronomy. In 2005, with “bio & dynamica”, we brought organic and biodynamic viticulture to the forefront, anticipating a now widespread awareness. Twelve years after, in 2017, we focused on no- and low-alcohol wines, opening a discussion on a cultural shift in consumption that is more relevant than ever. In 2018, we addressed climate change with an increasingly ethical and sustainability-oriented approach. Today more than ever, the food and wine world must challenge itself: it must change pace and face contemporary challenges with awareness to evolve, from new consumption styles to internationalization. Looking to the future, Merano WineFestival remains a place of dialogue and inspiration to shape the new era of wine and food”, explains Köcher.
In response to an increasingly complex and competitive context, Merano WineFestival aims to strengthen the connection between wine and territory through a mapping system that clearly and distinctively communicates the identity of Italian wines: “only by reinforcing the bond between product and territory, and valorizing local identities, Italian wine can stand out in increasingly more crowded and fragmented markets. The goal is to build a shared narrative that helps producers, buyers, and consumers recognize wine not just as a product, but as an authentic expression of its place of origin”. Among the proposals, there is also that of valorizing on labels those wines made with at least 60% grapes from historic vines with over 50 years giving visibility and value to a unique ampelographic heritage which continues to thrive even in the face of climate change.