This could be the reason for the dramatic decline in red wine consumption

Not “light” enough – or just too

The market has been preferring lighter, lower-alcohol wines for some time – at least at the communication level. This trend is spectacular in the case of white wines and rosés, but it cannot be transferred to red wines so easily. “Primeur” red wines – that is, those prepared quickly and for fresh consumption – cannot bring the experience that a consumer is looking for in a quality drink. Such wines are usually made from raw materials harvested too early, often from thin, watered-down must, especially in New World wine regions outside the EU. The end result: flat, characterless, unexciting drinks, for which interest is decreasing.

Grapes are more expensive, the weather is unpredictable

The costs of grape growing have increased drastically in the last ten years, mainly due to the lack of skilled manual labor and energy prices. Moreover, red grapes are particularly sensitive: it takes time to achieve proper quality, and a single heavy rain before harvest can ruin the entire year’s crop. The quantitative approach, i.e. too high a yield per hectare, also deteriorates the quality of the raw material, making it increasingly difficult to produce “good things on the cheap”.

Climate change is also redrawing the face of red wines

The effects of climate change are not only noticeable, but also measurable in winemaking. Grapes are sugaring faster, so the alcohol content of wines has increased significantly – the era of “classic” red wines of 12.5–13 percent is over. Forced ripening – when grapes begin to wilt before reaching their ideal ripeness – is also an obstacle to high quality. Immature tannins, grassy flavors, and excessive acidity spoil the experience, and the winemaker has an increasingly difficult task when it comes to making a balanced, drinkable red wine.