Wine

Overview Of The Market

UK wine consumption has doubled in the last 10 years, and is predicted by some to grow a further 30% over the next 10 years. Average wine consumption per adult (UK) is now over 24 litres per annum, this is less than half that of the adult populations of France, Italy, Portugal or Argentina. This indicates the opportunity for further growth in the UK market.

Consumption of ‘New World’ wines has increased dramatically and Australia is now the biggest producer of wine consumed in the UK with 24% of the market, and boasting 6 of the top 10 wine brands sold in the UK (2004). Wine consumed from the USA and South Africa has also grown substantially over the last 5 years, while French wines (which still account for 19% of the UK market) have seen a decline in popularity.

Wine Drinking In Pubs

Despite the huge increase in the consumption of wine in the UK, sales of wine in public houses have massively lagged behind this trend. While 8 out of 10 people enjoy a glass of wine, only 2 out of 10 will drink it in a pub, and research suggests that customers are not confident that pubs serve wine professionally or of the right quality, and that staff and licensees generally lack knowledge of wine. Wine is frequently stored incorrectly and is often poorly displayed. Wine choice is also generally very limited with the average pub stocking only 4 types of wine.

Be ‘wine Enlightened’

The growing demand for wine does provide licensees who are willing to take wine seriously with an excellent opportunity to build their businesses. With many pubs lagging behind the market, ‘wine-enlightened’ licensees can gain competitive advantage over their rivals. See the section below, ‘Maximising Wines Sales’, for ways to do this.

Grape Varieties

Wine is typically categorised by its grape variety (or combination of grape varieties). Here are the more popular grape varieties with details of their main flavour and aroma characteristics:

White grape varieties:

Grape variety	Typical flavours and aromas
Chardonnay	Ranging from citrus to ripe tropical fruit, buttery, toasty (from oak).
Chenin Blanc	Pears, green apples, wet wool, honey (with age).
Muscat	Orange blossom, elderflower, scented.
Muscadet	Hints of apple and gooseberry.
Riesling	Lemon, lime, peach, scented, petrol (with age).
Sauvignon Blanc	Green pea, grassy, nettles, gooseberry, passionfruit.
Sémillon	Grapefruit, grassy, honey and nuts (with age).

Red grape varieties:

Grape variety	Typical flavours and aromas
Cabernet Sauvignon	Blackcurrant, black cherry, green pepper, mint, cedar and cigarbox (from oak).
Gamay	Cherry, candy, raspberry hints.
Grenache	Fruity, black fruits, black olives, spices, leather.
Malbec	Juicy, fruity, plummy.
Merlot	Plums, damsons, chocolate, black cherry, spices.
Nebbiolo	Perfumed, tar, roses, woodsmoke.
Pinot Noir	Strawberries, cherries, earthy, gamey.
Pinotage	Pepper, spices, plums, bananas.
Shiraz/Syrah	Pepper, black cherry, black olives, leather.
Sangiovese	Cherry, plum.
Tempranillo	Scented, strawberries, leather, spice, tobacco, vanilla (from oak).
Zinfandel	Rich, spices, raisiny, black fruit.