There are different wines for different times.
Luxury Champagne was born as people emerged from the Great Depression. Big reds and buttery Chardonnays were the hallmark wines of 80’s excess. Fresh whites and chillable reds reflected a more recent shift to authenticity, provenance, and sustainability.
So what are the wines that represent our current times? A recent a wide-ranging analysis by Wine-Searcher.com found that “comfort” is the new premium in wine.
It suggests we’re seeing the emergence of trends in premium wine that represent unsettled times. Meaning that premium wine is becoming less about luxury-as-excess. But is reflecting a shift to luxury-as-reassurance.
Uncertainty doesn’t mean people aren’t changing to the cheapest option. In some cases quite the opposite. Premium wine is a remains a little luxury in our lives. But premium wine customers are looking for more than a delicious wine. They’re looking for trust, timelessness, and emotional security.
It’s a move that has profound consequences for everyone who makes, markets, or sells premium wines.
In the age of luxury-as-comfort people don’t trade down mindlessly. They buy less but better. And from regions they know, and trust. Heritage regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo. And in turn from established producers. Those who make wines with what the French call “valeurs sûres”. Old faithfuls. Sound bets. The people, the places, and the wines with deep reserves of goodwill.
But it’s not only certain wines people shift to. It’s particular stories too. In an age of comfort-as-luxury, emotional value can outweigh price. That means moving away from sales based on technical specifications. And towards marketing narratives that stress endurance, consistency, and emotional connection.
Which means this is the time to lean into the stories of the many families at the heart of premium wine. Where their stories are an emotional anchor amid economic uncertainty. Where their wine represents – even embodies – the value of the long view. If this wine, and this vineyard, and this family have endured, so will we.
Now is a time to stress the continuity and timelessness of the heritage of premium wine. To underline the quality and emotional texture of wines made with craft and diligence. And, most of all, the community and conviviality captured in an everyday luxury like premium wine.
