5-year world wine consumption forecast shows pick-up
Top Chasselas wines from 1986 to 1990 from canton Vaud, tasted by media and specialists in 2009: consumers and producers alike are learning to appreciate aged Swiss wines, a relatively new developmentGENEVA, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – A five-year decline in wine consumption in Switzerland is coming to an end, led by a growing appreciation for sparkling wines.
The biggest growth, nearly 15 percent, will be seen in bottles priced over CHF10, while less expensive wines will see slower growth of 4 percent for bottles costing about CHF5-10 and only 1.4 percent for wine under CHF5.
Award-winning “Rosemarie” red blend from Nouveau Salquenen winery in Salgesch/Salquenen, served with veal at a dinner hosted by Presence Switzerland in BaselThe shift in consumer habits marks a strong move by the Swiss wine industry in recent years towards high quality wines, a move picked up on quickly by the restaurant industry, with top restaurants increasingly matching fine foods with Swiss wines.
Switzerland has more Michelin-starred restaurants per person than any country in Europe.
Good news for local producers: the Swiss will continue to favour imports, but the spread between imported and Swiss-produced wines will shrink. Switzerland currently imports about 64 percent of the wine it consumes.
The forecast comes from IWSR (The International Wine and Spirit Research), which carried out a study of consumption and production, and created five-year forecasts for the world wine and spirits industry for Vinexpo, international wine fair in Bordeaux.
The study argues that the end is in sight for a sluggish Swiss wine sales market since 2007. The lower consumption was in line with an international trend that has been going on for over a decade.
The closing gap between imports and exports could be hurt, argue Valais (the largest wine-producing canton) winemakers, by a proposal to allow people to bring more wine across the border duty-free and to cut the customs duty.
Forecast slightly larger than predicted population growth
The 10 years from 2007 to 2016 will show an overall 1.11 percent increase for Switzerland. It’s small, but given that still wines, which are the bulk of the market, fell by 6 percent from 2007 to 2012, it’s a clear turnaround. And it’s a larger increase than the predicted population increase, so even on a per capita basis, consumption will be up.
The study covered 28 wine-producing countries and 114 consumer markets.
White and red wine consumption are expected to rise slightly, by 1.54 percent in the five years starting with 2013.
Sparkling wine will see more significant growth, 3.79 percent, and rosé wines will continue the pattern of rising consumption they have seen for several years – nearly 24 percent in the past five years and growth of another 8.49 percent is expected by 2016.
Consumers will drink 2.12 million cases (of 9 litres of sparkling wine) in 2016.