WHAT WILL THE WINTER TRENDS LOOK LIKE FOR 2025? OUR DRINKS EDITOR HAS TRIED TO FIND THE ANSWER.
More white wine & lower alcohol content are some of the trends, but what else?
BY ANN FOGELBERG
MORE WHITE
What we can see is that white wines are increasing, while red wines are declining in sales. One aspect of this is perhaps that we have received recommendations to cut back on animal protein and instead eat more vegetarian food, where white wine matches the dishes better.
LOWER ALCOHOL CONTENT
What we can also see is that the demand for lower alcohol content and also alcohol-free wines is increasing. We want to be healthier and therefore also reduce our alcohol intake. Given the economic situation, we also choose slightly cheaper wines, with a range of around one hundred kronor to around two hundred kronor. And those of us who have reduced our alcohol intake like to choose a more expensive wine, on those special occasions when we want to enjoy a glass.
INSTEAD OF CHAMPAGNE
Another trend we see is that when the prices of champagne skyrocket, we often choose other wines that are produced according to the champagne method, such as cava, cremant or cap classique. Which we also like to buy to mix cocktails.
FAVORITE WINES
We have also found our favorite wines and like to choose wines from the traditional wine regions, where we feel more secure. France, Italy and Spain are the countries we like to buy wines from. There Jurassic in France was appointed as Wine Region of the Year 2025 of the Munskänkarna. According to Gambero Rosso in Italy, San Leonardo was also named Winery of the Year 2025. So we mostly stick to the classic European wine countries. But at the same time, there is also a demand for wines from South Africa, South America and even wines from the Eastern European countries.
NATURAL WINES
Natural wines are increasingly coming where you can find really good wines today, such as pétnat. We also look at sustainability work in winemaking and focus on regenerative agriculture. Online sales have also increased, where we now order wines both from the order assortment at Systembolaget and via other players on the market. But of course everything depends on taste and preference.
FLAVOURED SPANISH
– A trend rolling into 2025 is that consumers are finding new sparkling favorites that are not necessarily of known origins like cava, crémant or champagne. More and more people are opening their eyes
for new, smaller areas that deliver excellent quality at a reasonable price. Another trend is the development of white wines from Spain. We have seen that Albariño has rolled into Sweden and in 2025 we will
see other white Spanish wines such as Godello and white Rioja gaining ground, of which a brilliant example is Izadi Selección Blanco, explains Kajsa Ekman, Product Manager at The Wine Agency. Bodegas Izadi is located in the most prestigious part of the district, Rioja Alavesa, and was founded by Gonzalo Anton in 1987 to find a newer way of making Rioja. Today, his son Lalo runs the business. The vineyards are located in a triangle formed by the villages of Villabuena, Samaniego and Abalos and consist of hundreds of cultivation plots, none of which exceed one hectare. The oldest vines are up to 100 years old, which gives a low yield but a great concentration of flavors. The soil is rich in minerals and makes the grapes loaded with complex nuances. After the harvest, the grapes are destemmed and gently pressed. Most of the must is then fermented in stainless steel tanks and a smaller part is allowed to ferment in new French oak barrels. The wine has not undergone malolactic fermentation. The part that ferments in barrels is then aged for a further three months in oak barrels after fermentation is complete. Izadi means nature and the wines from here are pure, natural terroir in the bottle and a shining example of innovation in Rioja, offering flavourful, modern and food-friendly wine.
Izadi Selección Blanco, 2023
No.: 72131, 185 SEK/750 ml
Grapes: 61 % viura, 11 % matura blanca, 10 % tempranillo blanco, 8 % garnacha blanca, 5 % malvasia, and 5 % turruntés.
Taste: Rich in flavor with fruity notes of grapefruit, citrus and green apple with a slight spiciness.
Suitable for: Fried or grilled fish or light meat.
FRUITFUL GERMAN
– In 2025, we will probably have a little more money in our wallets and can leave the low-priced wines and find our way back to slightly higher-quality products in a slightly higher price range. Our prediction is also that in 2025, we will continue to see more and more people choosing white wine over red and that many will also choose wines with lower alcohol. A really good example of wine that has a naturally low alcohol content is Riesling
Kabinett from Kloster Eberbach, says Clara, Senior Brand Manager at Provinum. The history of the Kloster Eberbach winery goes back as far as the history of the cultural monument. Also to the French monks who settled in Rheigau at the beginning of the 12th century. What was originally intended for the monastery's own
mill soon developed into a sought-after commodity, which secured the monastery's future and prosperity. The vineyards are beautifully situated on the steep southern slopes down to the Rhine River. Although Rheingau is only
covering 3 % of the total German wine-growing area, it must be considered the most historically significant region in the country. The vineyards extend over almost 230 hectares where sustainable wines are produced. Sustainability permeates the philosophy of Kloster Eberbach, everything from the work in the vineyard to the bottling and work in the winery. The grapes are harvested by hand and vinified in temperature-controlled
steel tanks. Kabinett is a so-called predicate given to German wines whose grapes have reached a certain sugar content at the time of harvest.
OUR PREDICTION IS ALSO THAT IN 2025 WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CHOOSING WHITE WINE OVER RED AND THAT MANY WILL ALSO CHOOSE WINES WITH LOWER ALCOHOL
Kloster Eberbach Riesling Kabinett, 2023
No.: 5810, 129 SEK/750 ml
Grape: Riesling
Taste: Fruity, good acidity, tropical fruit like lychee and melon, citrus with sun-ripened mango in the aftertaste.
Suitable for: Fish and seafood dishes such as sushi and Asian dishes with some heat.
LIGHTLY PEARLING ITALIAN
– Regardless of what you think about natural wine, it is difficult to ignore the impact the trend has on the wines we drink today. Both light, juicy red wines made without heavy extraction and orange wines and pét nat can be considered to have increased in popularity due to the natural wine movement. So this December, I want to take a stab at pét nat, as a light alternative to wines that have received their mousse after undergoing the traditional method. Avus Garganega Frizzante 2020 comes from a family business in Soave and is a fresh, sparkling wine, says Hanna Bränfeldt, Product & Marketing Coordinator at Quaffable Wines. In 1933, Antonio Tessari decided to build his own cellar and thereby started the business that continues today with his granddaughter Cornelia, who runs the company together with her brothers Antonio and Germano. The family-owned company Tessari is now in its third generation and has Soave in its blood. They produce wine from the carefully managed vineyards located on the hills of Monteforte d'Alpone. The siblings oversee everything from vineyard to bottle, always with great respect for tradition, quality and passion for the art of producing artisanal wines. Currently, they have approximately 12 hectares of vineyard land located on slopes around 250 meters above sea level. All cultivation is carried out organically and their certification came in 2013. All work in the vineyards is done by hand and the focus is 100 % on Garganega, as they believe this is the grape variety that can best convey Soave and its unique terroir through the finished wines.
Cornelia Tessari Avus Garganega Frizzante, 2020
No.: 57673, 149 SEK/750 ml, organic
Grape: Garganega Taste: Clear ripe apple notes with hints of lemon balm, honey and a touch of mint.
Suitable for: As an aperitif or with snacks such as lightly salted chips with sour cream, chopped chives, finely chopped
red onion and chopped dill and top with salmon roe (or any roe).
CHABLIS AND SANCERRE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND STRONG ON THE WHITE SIDE, CLASSIC AND WELL-KNOWN WINES THAT STILL KEEP A REASONABLE PRICE LEVEL IN CONTEXT
ELEGANT FRENCH
– Looking ahead to 2025, we see a number of different trends. Interest in wine continues to increase while an increasingly large group, especially young people, are looking for alcohol-free alternatives with a greater focus on health. For wines, we see it being a year for ”back to basics”", Chianti, Brunello and so-called Super-Tuscans are coming strong and Italy will therefore continue to maintain its strong position when it comes to the consumption of red wines. Chablis and Sancerre will continue to stand strong on the white side, classic and well-known wines that still maintain a reasonable price level in this context. Interest in better wines from Bordeaux is also on the rise, says Elizabeth Pezon, Product Manager at Johan Lidby Vinhandel. Jean-Marc Brocard began buying vineyards in the 1970s and today owns around 100 hectares. Jean-Marc has gradually handed over the business to his son Julien. Part of the production is cultivated by Julien Brocard according to biodynamic principles, which means, among other things, avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The vines for this flavorful white wine come from a vineyard called Malantes in the village of Préhy. They were planted in 1942 and would therefore have been 81 years old by the 2022 harvest.
In recent years, the harvest has been below 30 hectoliters per hectare, which is half of what
which is customary in Chablis. The wine ferments in stainless steel tanks without adding any yeast. The wine is then aged in stainless steel tanks for nine months. This is one of the longest-lived wines in Brocard's portfolio.
Structured vintages can be stored for up to 30 years or sometimes even longer.
Chablis Vielles Vignes Sainte Claire JM Brocard, 2023
No.: 5595, 229 SEK/750 ml
Grape: Chardonnay
Taste: Rich in flavor with notes of apple, melon and citrus with a certain herbaceousness.
Suitable for: Aperitif, fish and seafood dishes and salads.
