Last week, we published our 2025 Wine Leagues - Quarter-Century Special Edition. In part three of the report, we looked forward to 2026 by asking our 57 survey respondents what innovations and emerging trends in the wine industry wineries should harness to maximise growth in the years to come.
Our respondents highlighted 15 key opportunities for producers to maximise growth in the year ahead. See the graph below:
What innovations and emerging trends in the wine industry should wineries harness to maximise growth in the years to come?
The most cited opportunity is a renewed focus on product style, respondents often referencing a fresher, more “drinkable” wines, approachable in their youth (16 responses):
“Work on the wine style (more digestible, accessible in their youth without losing ageing potential).”
- Top-tier UK merchant
Many respondent also suggested an enhanced focus on direct-to-consumer activities was most-commonly cited (14 responses):
“Connect premium wine offerings with wine visits for consumers. Tasting, lunches, cellar tours. Too many producers are still too inaccessible..”
- Specialist UK merchant
“Focus on events, social media and getting the next generation into wine.”
- Top-tier UK merchant
Separately but related, lower alcohol was mentioned seven times.
“Lower alcohols via vineyard management rather than scientific manipulation.”
- Top-tier UK merchant
Our respondents highlighted 15 key opportunities for producers to maximise growth in the year ahead.
Six respondents highlighted the importance of attracting younger generations:
“Sustainability as a way of recruiting new customers and appealing to a younger, more socially conscious demographic.”
- Specialist UK merchant
“Social media and communication to relate to a younger audience to bring them into the premium wine sector.”
- Top-tier UK merchant
In addition to more granular suggestions, one respondent highlighted the need to adapt to broader, macro-level market trends:
“So many wineries still seem to depend on continuous high growth in sales, which is clearly not realistic nor sustainable. The wine market will probably not continue to grow forever and there are not so many new miracle markets to be opened, so it seems crucial to find another model in which market saturation and over-competition are not the unwanted side-effects of excessive ambition or too much financial leverage.”
- Top-tier UK merchant
You can download the full report for free here.