🍷 Is wine losing its seat at the table?

Not quite, but consumer behaviour is shifting fast and the wine category must adapt or risk being left behind.

🔍 What we're seeing:

🥘 Food occasions are changing . Traditional wine-with-meal moments are being replaced by casual, social catch-ups. Outdated rules and rigid associations are holding wine back from these evolving rituals.

🍇 Red wine is in decline, even in the critical $15–$25 segment. To reignite interest, the category needs modern, approachable expressions that fit today's drinking occasions.

💡 Cultural shifts in consumption 

• 48% of Australians are actively reducing alcohol intake.

• There's strong demand for lighter, flavour-forward, and more refreshing styles.

  
  

👥 Millennials are discovering wine later . This generation is driven by experiences and shareability. Brands must tap into wine’s cultural richness with a fresh, social-first approach.

💸 Spending pressure is real: 35% of consumers have cut back on alcohol purchases due to the cost of living. Relevance, versatility, and value are key.

✨ Opportunities to revitalise the category:

🍾 Flavourful & Vibrant. Consumers are embracing effervescent, uplifting options like Spritz and Prosecco or even flavoured wines that create a bridge from RTDs. Wine that feels fun, modern, and mood-boosting.

🌸 Lighter Varietals & Styles . Continued growth in Pinot grigio, Prosecco, Pinot Noir, Rosé, and the rise of low and zero alcohol wines signal a long-term shift in preference.

🍽️ Modern food pairings. There’s a gap to reframe wine in everyday and social occasions, with simpler, more inclusive rituals.

📦 Innovation in formats. Small formats, variety packs, bagnums and on-the-go options open doors to trial, flexibility, and relevance.

🎯 The wine world has heritage. Now it needs reinvention.

Let’s shape a category that’s inclusive, expressive, and future-fit — one glass at a time.

If you need advice and guidance on wine innovations, 92 proof (https://www.92proof.com/) is one of the best agency at creating and commercialising NPDs anchored in existing eco-systems. Please message me for more info.

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