Over the last few decades, we’ve seen the Italian wine industry go from strength to strength. In fact, we’ve seen wine culture in general explode over the last few years.
We’re curious as to why. Of course, wine has always been a popular drink. But what’s changed in more recent years to create this culture of wine that we see in so many countries. Why, for example, are people in the United States generally shifting over from beers and other alcohols to wines?
We have a few theories, which we’re going to share with you here.
The Producers Play a Huge Part
Of course, we have to start with the wonderful producers who pour their hearts and souls into the creation of their wines.
The simple fact is that if Italian wines weren’t of a high quality, nobody would want to buy them. The industry has its own producers to thank for building it into what it is today.
After all, it’s the producers who tend to their land and pick the grapes. It is producers who introduce new winemaking techniques that lead to higher-quality vintages. And it is the producers who take further steps to protect the integrity of their wines by ensuring their land stays strong and potent.
However, it’s not only in production that Italy’s winemakers excel.
Many are also active participants in the efforts to spread awareness of the industry throughout the world. They attend trade shows and work with specialist organisations to promote Italian wine. And in doing so, they raise awareness throughout the world, which contributes further to the development of the culture.
You’ve heard about the growth of the industry in places like India, Russia, and China in recent years. That wouldn’t have happened, at least not at the pace that we’ve seen, were it not for producers exhibiting their wares in these countries and taking an active role in the promotion of the industry.
Simply put, we have a lot more to thank our wine producers for than the wines that they create. Their tireless work for the betterment of the entire industry has seriously paid off over the last few years.
The Rise of the Web
There’s no denying that the rise of the internet has had a huge impact.
Think about it like this.
30 years ago, you didn’t have a lot of options if you wanted to find out more about wine. You could subscribe to specialist publications. However, these came at a cost and weren’t always easy to get your hands on. And even if you did discover a wine that you wanted to try, you’d probably have to order it through a specialist vendor.
And if that vendor didn’t have the right contacts, you’d miss out.
Simply put, getting into wine those days, beyond what you’d find in a local store, was a laborious process that required a great deal of dedication on the part of the buyer.
But today…
Well, just take a look at the Xtrawine store. You have all of the information that you could ever need about literally thousands of wines. And if you want to buy one, it’s a simple case of clicking a couple of buttons, entering some details, and placing an order. Then, you just sit back and wait for your order to arrive.
The arrival of the web brought convenience and accessibility to an industry that was previously fairly difficult to crack. The web also offers producers the chance to market themselves, which only grows the industry further.
Simply put, the internet is perhaps the most powerful tool in the wine industry’s arsenal.
Changing Tastes
We’re seeing some interesting changes in taste in recent years.
Millennials tend to drink a little less than the generations that came before. And when they do drink, they’re tending less towards beer and more towards wines.
Perhaps it’s the social aspect of drinking wine that makes it so appealing. Or maybe it’s simply that the younger generations want to expand their horizons a little and try some drinks that their parents didn’t try.
Either way, there’s no denying that more younger people generally trend towards drinking wine. And of course, there are still plenty of wine lovers in older generations to bolster those numbers.
Moves Towards Inclusivity
The Italian wine industry has also not been ignorant to changing trends and opinions.
Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen organic foods gain a lot more popularity as people prefer completely natural products. The industry has adapted to these changing demands and we’re seeing more organic and biodynamic producers appear on a yearly basis.
In more recent times, we’ve also see the rise of veganism. And again, the industry has adapted to cater to the needs of people with these eating preferences. A lot of producers focus specifically on making vegan wines, which opens them up to a new market.
The point we’re making is that the wine industry has grown to become inclusive of many dietary choices. That has surely helped it to grow in an era when failure to adapt could have actually led to a decline.
The Potential Health Benefits
Plenty of studies point to wines having various heart-related benefits, assuming it’s consumed in moderation.
It’s likely that many drinkers pay attention to these studies and drink wine because of them. After all, a glass of wine seems like a better option than a beer or other drink with dinner simply because that wine strengthens your heart.
While we won’t claim that the health benefits are the biggest reason for the growth of the industry, increased knowledge of those benefits has almost certainly played a part.
The Final Word
The simple fact of the matter is that wine, no matter what country it comes from, is more popular now than it has ever been.
We believe that the above represents the key reasons for why this has happened. And for our part, we promise to keep engaging in the promotion of the industry in the hope of seeing further growth in the years to come.
I’m a passionate about good wine and good cooking.
I like to keep me updated and share with my online friends my gastronomic knowledge.
