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The world of wine is undergoing a renaissance \u2014 and if you\u2019ve ever wanted to jump in, now\u2019s the time! The wine trends of 2016 are emerging, so don\u2019t get left out. Check out our guide to find out more about the methods and possible madness behind some of the coolest trends in wine, from the all-natural to the technologically enhanced.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You may not give much thought to the production process of wine, but it gets quite complicated on a commercial scale. In fact, there are over 200 different additives<\/a> a winemaker can use throughout the process, most commonly including sulfur, tannin, yeast and sugar. While nearly all commercially used additives in wine are perfectly safe, there\u2019s a group of individuals who consider them a detraction from the art of wine-making.<\/p>\n These individuals and manufacturers emphasize the personality that shows through when wine is made simply using grape juice and the fermentation process. That personality is referred to as \u201cterroir<\/em>,\u201d the sense of place imparted by a wine. Natural winemakers believe the best way to let a wine speak for itself is not to mask its voice, but to let it tell its own story with minimal interference. To that end, natural wines generally meet these criteria:<\/p>\n It makes sense for mass producers of wine to carve the process down to a science. After all, the way they make money is by delivering a product that consistently tastes the same. However, consumers are now choosing wines more and more based on their story and how they tell it.<\/p>\n The idea of a small-batch wine made completely by hand may be appealing because of its character and novelty as well as its unique flavor. It brings attention to the ecology of winemaking and the subtle differences that can occur based on what local animals and insects affect the grapes\u2019 growth. Even the fermentation and aging processes can be dramatically altered by the climate they happen in, and flavors show it when the wine is left to mature naturally.<\/p>\n Wine lovers looking for something different should definitely get a taste of the natural wine trend \u2014 not one is the same.<\/p>\n 2. High-Altitude Wines<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s pretty unlikely that any of your everyday wines have their vineyard altitude printed on the label, but this 2016 wine trend may change all that. A few winemaking pioneers, mostly in South America, have hit on a secret you may not believe: Grapes grown at higher altitudes have a distinctly different flavor profile than those grown in lower areas. Are they better? A few daring wineries certainly think so.<\/p>\n Nicolas Catena, owner of Catena Zapata Winery in Argentina, has been studying the effects of high altitude on the quality and characteristics of wine grapes for over 20 years, and he\u2019s convinced that altitude does make for a better product.<\/p>\n According to him, there are a few key things that happen when you grow grapes around an altitude of 3,000 feet<\/a>:<\/p>\n It also turns out that wine grapes benefit from the limited water resources found at higher altitudes. \u201cWater stress\u201d as it\u2019s called, leads to a higher ratio of flavor-producing compounds to water in the grapes.<\/p>\n Overall, this leads to grapes that show more concentrated flavors in their resulting wines. Thicker skins mean that the soaking and fermentation steps of winemaking will be richer in flavor and have a higher intensity of phenolics \u2014 the naturally occurring compounds in grapes that give wines their unique profiles.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for bigger, bolder flavor in 2016, the high-altitude wine trend is worth checking out.<\/p>\n Wine trends and supply are, of course, driven by the consumers \u2014 and who those consumers are makes a big difference in what they demand. As it so happens, millennials are proving to be the biggest growing market segment in 2016, and that means some interesting changes to the world of wine consumption.<\/p>\n While people age 21-33 aren\u2019t the biggest section of consumers yet, they\u2019re the fastest growing, and they drink much more wine than baby boomers did at the same age. This means millennial tastes are soon going to be the bulk on store shelves, but what do millennials want to drink?<\/p>\n You\u2019re probably familiar with the craft beer movement \u2014 after all, it\u2019s hard to ignore that novelty packaging. Winemakers are following in the same footsteps, creating new and unique brands that millennials identify with.<\/p>\n Marketing is an increasingly important part of appealing to millennial tastes, as you\u2019ll find when perusing the wine section at your local store. You may have noticed a proliferation of boxed wine, single-serve packages and even wine in a can!<\/p>\n Over the next year, you\u2019re also likely to see an increase in locally sourced wines and wine on tap, thanks to the happy and growing relationship between millennials and wine consumption.<\/p>\n Although wine is arguably one of our most ancient forays into science, it\u2019s remained relatively low tech for the past several hundred years. But luckily for the tech geeks among us, one of the most interesting wine trends of 2016 is going to be the way we incorporate technology into the making and consumption of wine.<\/p>\n One pioneer in high-tech winemaking is Napa Valley\u2019s Vineyard 29. Their wines are a fusion of tradition and technology, spearheaded by former Intel executive Chuck McMinn. According to McMinn and his team, there aren\u2019t as many differences between the production of wine and computer chips as there are parallels, and the wine they produce displays the same attention to detail.<\/p>\n Each vine is fitted with sensors that measure the plant\u2019s water intake, and staff can also measure how much of each desired chemical compound ends up in the wine. Though experts disagree on how much data collection can actually help the somewhat mysterious process of winemaking, we\u2019re sure to learn more from this 2016 wine trend.<\/p>\n On the consumer end, we now have more ways than ever to find, buy and share wines. For example, the app Wine Ring allows new wine connoisseurs and veterans alike to learn a little something new about their taste profile. All you have to do is look up your wine in the database of over half a million labels and rate it on a scale from dislike to love. That\u2019s it! The app\u2019s algorithm will do the rest of the work for you, helping you to identify the next stop on your wine-sampling adventure.<\/p>\n High-tech winemaking and drinking are a great way to delve into the complexities of wine or simplify the process if it suits you. Anything that makes wine more accessible is a good thing in our book, so we\u2019re glad to report that tech is one of the top wine trends of 2016.<\/p>\n Big, rich and alcohol-laden wines have had a good run for a while now. Being able to push the bounds of winemaking to their alcohol-producing utmost while still retaining a good flavor and profile has been looked at as a sort of holy grail for some time, but the fact is there\u2019s a time and place for these types of wines \u2014 and it’s certainly not daily drinking.<\/p>\n With almost a third of millennials reporting they drink wine daily, it\u2019s time for winemakers to catch up to the demand for high-quality wine that can be shared without worrying about unbalanced flavor and bitterness. Plus, for people who simply enjoy drinking wine, it\u2019s helpful to know you won\u2019t be too tipsy after one glass of a Shiraz that\u2019s 15% ABV.<\/p>\n Wines that are lower in alcohol content allow for much subtler bouquets of aroma, as the complexities aren\u2019t masked. Too much alcohol can also cause imbalance in an otherwise well-crafted flavor profile.<\/p>\n Lower alcohol wine is also one of the main aspects that makes some wines healthier than others. In fact, a 2012 study revealed that among people who drank red wine, gin and non-alcoholic red wine, the group that drank non-alcoholic red wine had blood pressure levels that were significantly lower<\/a>. That implies that the lower the ABV in your drinks, the healthier it is. For baby boomers in particular, the upward trend in lower alcohol wine is great news!<\/p>\n As daily wine consumption continues to grow, lower alcohol wines will have an opportunity to come to the forefront as drinks that can be enjoyed on any occasion.<\/p>\n Consumers and connoisseurs have more tools than ever to try the vast array of fine wines out there \u2014 but one thing is still stopping them: accessibility. Top-shelf wines are too often served only by the bottle, since opening one and exposing it to air irrevocably changes its profile and characteristics \u2014 and if it doesn\u2019t get sold, it will go bad within weeks. Add this to the growing public preference for wine by the glass, and both restaurants and patrons have struggled with how to handle more expensive bottles of wine.<\/p>\n Luckily, there\u2019s one product that\u2019s dramatically shifting the way wine is consumed \u2014 by eliminating the pour altogether. A company called Coravin has created a system that allows you to pour, taste and enjoy your wine without removing the cork and exposing the wine to the oxidation that degrades it.<\/p>\n How does Coravin work? The proprietary system uses secure clamps to hold the bottle in place while a thin, hollow needle accesses and extracts the wine without damage to the cork. The system then replaces the air in the bottle with argon gas, neutralizing any oxidation that would occur normally.<\/p>\n This is huge news for, well, everyone with a stake in the world of wine! Restaurants and tasting rooms will be able to offer nearly any wine by the glass, meaning that the variety of accessible, high-quality wines will be greatly expanded for those who want to enjoy them. Of all the new 2016 wine trends, this is one that has extremely high potential to become an industry fixture.<\/p>\n Most wine lovers have been known to indulge in a breakfast mimosa, but it may be time to start letting the bottle breathe through lunch. Coravin\u2019s founder and chairman Greg Lambrecht is certain that sparkling wines are going to see more play in winemakers\u2019 lineups this year.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the appeal of sparkling wine? Well, for starters, it just tastes good \u2014 and that\u2019s more important in the wine world than you might think. New wine lovers are more interested than ever in finding what fits their palate, and most people find sparkling wine easier to enjoy in both warm weather, and as a starter wine. Due in part to this, consumption of sparkling wine of all kinds has been increasing in recent years, as shown by these statistics:<\/p>\n Ros\u00e9 is making a comeback as well, with some interesting twists. Look forward to seeing ros\u00e9 wines carried through early winter, and look out for the shift toward lighter red coloring and a fuller-bodied flavor instead of classic light pink varietal. \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Where natural wines are a celebration of what\u2019s not added to the wine, biodynamic winemakers focus on what is added. These two types of wine exist in a diagram where all biodynamic wines are natural, but not all natural wines are biodynamic. This is because the biodynamic approach to winemaking involves a highly holistic view of grape-growing, where the plants, soil, flora, fauna and even spiritual or metaphysical forces form an ecological system that should be respected and cared for.<\/p>\n A lot of people may turn their nose up at the methods behind biodynamic wines \u2014 and there is certainly an element of oddity to the process. You might see farmers looking to the phases of the moon to guide planting or harvesting patterns, or perhaps witnessing people filling cow\u2019s horns with cow manure and burying them over the winter. It\u2019s an interesting approach, but the results make it tough to doubt the method.<\/p>\n Biodynamic winemaking just so happens to go hand-in-hand with sustainability, though it\u2019s not a necessary precursor. Today\u2019s wine drinkers are often just as interested in where the wine comes from as in how it tastes, and biodynamic and sustainable wines help to lower the overall carbon footprint.<\/p>\n When it comes to wine, location can\u2019t be ignored \u2014 so keep an eye out for wines from Australia, Portugal and South Africa. Over the past years, Napa and Bordeaux have dominated as the middle of the road for wine investors, but their pricing has been steadily inflating. As such, many are turning to Australian winemakers, whose products are often an excellent value for the quality.<\/p>\n Portugal is also an emerging producer of excellent wines, and there\u2019s a huge range to explore. The country is home to over 250 varieties of grapes<\/a> and a wide array of soils and climates. It\u2019s the perfect place for winemakers to perfect old traditions and experiment with new ones, so next time you\u2019re in the market for wine, check out the new and interesting wines Portugal is producing<\/a>.<\/p>\n South Africa\u2019s history with winemaking is a long one, but it\u2019s only now that the country is gaining real notoriety as a producer of quality wines. Interestingly, the effects of the storm El Ni\u00f1o and a warming climate have caused an unprecedented variation among vintages, meaning that South African wines<\/a> will have more character \u2014 and therefore more appeal \u2014 than ever before.<\/p>\n One of the most crucial elements of the winemaking process is the aging, and much of it is done in barrels. While white wines can get away with being \u201cunoaked,\u201d red wines almost always spend time in an oak barrel. This is a practice dating all the way back to the Romans, and for good reason: Oak is soft enough to easily make barrels out of, it\u2019s fairly abundant and it\u2019s waterproof. But even more importantly, it softens and smooths wines while imparting unique flavors. For example, oak barrel-aged wines often benefit from additional flavors such as caramel and vanilla, or even a buttery quality.<\/p>\n This tradition is getting a new twist, however, from winemakers who have decided to up the ante by recycling used liquor barrels for wine aging. Rather than going for the usual French oak, some winemakers are opting for charred American barrels that have held whiskey or bourbon.<\/p>\n Though many established experts scoff at such deviation from the French tradition, many others firmly believe there\u2019s a place for fusion and experimentation. And it\u2019s hard to argue with the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon that come out of those bourbon barrels, and their exceptional notes of smokiness and vanilla.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re the adventurous type, be sure to take a walk on the wild side with bourbon or whiskey barrel-aged wines in 2016. Check out 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel <\/a>for an excellent value American Oak Aged red wine.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot to learn and even more to love about the expanding world of wine, even if you\u2019re halfway to sommelier yourself! Staying on top of new wine trends doesn\u2019t have to be hard when you\u2019re shopping from a wine store with friendly expertise – Marketview Liquor<\/a>.<\/p>\n At our online store, you\u2019ll find a huge selection wine and spirits. And if you need some pointers to help you find the latest and greatest of any wine, check out our blog<\/a> and Mike\u2019s Picks<\/a> for excellent, affordable wines.<\/p>\n1. Small Batch and Natural Wines<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n3. Millennial-Driven Markets<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n4. Wine Technology<\/strong><\/h2>\n
5. Lower Alcohol Wines<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n6. Coravin & Single-Serve Wine<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n7. Sparkling Wines<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n8. Sustainable & Biodynamic Wines<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n9. High-Quality, High-Value Wine Regions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n10. Bourbon Barrel Wine<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nStay On-Trend & Ahead of the Wine Trend Curve<\/strong><\/h2>\n