A decade of change in the world of wine

I had planned to write about the wine high-lights of 2009, but then realized as we usher in a new decade that the last ten years have seen a myriad of changes in the world of wine. Here are my picks of the most important wine events of the decade. It seems the only constant in wine is change, and the 2000’s were no exception.

The one event that stands out is the death of cork and the emergence of the screw cap. Producers and consumers alike have found that screw caps are the ideal enclosure for a large majority of wine. It started out with large Australian wineries who were tired of the cork taint that spoil wine. It took a while for consumers the get used to $50 bottles of wine being sold under cap. Prior to this only jug wines had caps but as the decade drew to a close, most wines are now caped. Consumers love the convenience of opening, closing and storing bottles with ease.

Continuing the theme to the next important watershed is the rise and slight fall of Australia as one of the most important wine exporting countries in the world. Lead by such wines as Yellow Tail at the beginning of the decade, Australia and especially their ultra fruity Shiraz style, took the wine world by storm. Yellow Tail Shiraz is the biggest wine seller of the decade as consumers embrace the sweet fruit and soft side of red wine. As the decade closes, however, Australia is starting to lose its luster and the wine export threat of Spain, Portugal, Chile, Argentina and South Africa have taken centre spot. Australia will always be a major force in wine, but I believe they have hit their peak.

BC wines continue to evolve for the better as each decade adds experience and vine age to the local wine scene. Now the daring of the BC consumer, it was only fifteen years ago that serious vinifera wines were planted and produced. Consumers have embraced such varietals as Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Bordeaux style blended wines. BC had 13 wineries in 1984 now it is closing in on over 200 and it’s becoming difficult to keep track of all the emerging wineries. I see a bright future for BC wines in the next ten years.

This was also the decade of celebrity wines; from Dan Akroyd and Greg Norman, to Wayne Gretzky and others. Marketing wine this way introduces their fans to wines they may not have tried before and I believe any way to introducing wines to a new market works for me. Look for more of these types of endorsements in the future.

If the past is any indication of the future, the world of wine is headed for new and exciting developments in the next decade. New emerging regions, new blends and types of grapes will just be the beginning. I will be waiting with enthusiasm and my tasting glass in hand.