Lighter wines; with more fruit weight, less wood and lower alcohol content; made with indigenous yeasts and more resilient native grapes resulting from organic, biodynamic or regenerative agriculture; Suitable for vegans or celiacs and those with minimal intervention (also called natural) are the protagonists of current market trends.
Spain has more than 142,100 hectares of organic vineyards for winemaking, which are equivalent to 15.3% of the total vineyard area for winemaking in the country, and have registered a growing trend in recent years. Organic production is developed by 1,334 wineries and bottling companies. Since 2017, more than 30,000 hectares of organic vineyards have been added for winemaking, registering a growth of 33% between 2017 and 2021.
And innovative products are also becoming common to bring wine to new consumers, such as canned or dealcoholized wines. Everything seems to indicate that we live in a time in which less wine is consumed, but of higher quality. It seems that it is a dynamic that will continue. And there is no doubt that there is a white revolution in a country as red-centric as Spain (a good example is what is happening in Rioja) and that white and sparkling wines are booming around the world. New bubbly products have not stopped breaking into the markets.
On the other hand, the sector considers that it is essential to delve into de-seasonalizing wine consumption and look for new moments of consumption, such as after work. And, without trivializing the fact that wine contains alcohol, we are reminded of the healthy benefits of moderate consumption with meals. The entire sector is, at the same time, very concerned about containing the alcoholic level of wines, fighting against the effects of persistent droughts and the effects of the climate emergency. And sustainability initiatives do not stop happening while some recover animal traction to till their vineyards.
The González Byass group has recently announced that it has selected its most iconic wine, the fine Tío Pepe Sherry, to promote the use of a returnable format in the hospitality industry and in its wine tourism experiences. It is part of Rebo2vino, a project led by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) in which Familia Torres also participates.
This project, according to the general director of the FEV, José Luis Benítez, seeks to evaluate how and how much wine bottles can be reused, “taking into account that they are an intrinsic part of the brands’ image and quantifying the true environmental footprint. and economic sustainability in the face of bottle recycling, which already represents a rate greater than 70%.”
Comprehensive sustainability is sought, which means not only minimizing environmental risks but also contributing economically and socially to the wealth in the local communities in which the vineyards are located. And the sector works hard to promote rural development through the growing amount of investments that all types of wineries are making for wine tourism.
The social and economic importance of wine is very relevant in Spain. In terms of employment, and from a global optimum (computing direct, indirect and induced effects), the sector helps generate and maintain more than 363,980 full-time jobs in Spain. According to the Spanish Wine Interprofessional (OIVE), the Spanish wine sector is a determining factor against depopulation in rural areas. This is demonstrated by the fact that the population of Spanish municipalities with less than 2,000 inhabitants dedicated mainly to grape cultivation has increased by up to 35.8% in the last 20 years, while that of those without vineyards has increased. decreased by 9.6%.
And meanwhile, there are already wineries that have entered a digital parallel world (the metaverse), have teamed up with artificial intelligence or are launching exclusive wines for the crypto market.
