Vinexpo Daily 2020 Paris - Review Edition

I NEWS I
Thorsten
Hartmann
Director of Custom Analytics,
IWSR.
NOVICE WINE
GROWERS WIN
TOP AWARD
A Franco-Irish "novice" winemaker couple
leveraged Vinexpo to promote their awardwinning
organic wines.
Eco-credentials more
important than ever
- IWSR research
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware
of drinks producers' ethical credentials,
attendees at Vinexpo Paris were told at a
session that gave forecasts for the global
beverage industry.
The trend is driven by
younger drinkers, who
are prioritising good
environmental performance.
"Younger consumers have
different thoughts on the
world to older consumers,"
said Thorsten Hartmann,
director of custom analytics
at IWSR, the drinks market
analysis organisation.
"A company being ethical
is really becoming
very important, almost
indispensable. You have to
be responsible in everything
- from packaging, right
through to marketing and
how your water is treated."
don't want to miss out on
the experience. It has to be
a fantastic product," he said.
Soft drinks companies have
yet to make significant
inroads into the market
for no-alcohol versions
of traditional drinks, but
Hartmann forecast that this
would change.
market", not least because
their cachet rubs off on
lower-end products.
Some super premium
limited editions are destined
to never be consumed,
according to Hartmann,
instead, being traded purely
as investments.
In terms of the overall drinks
market, IWSR's global
forecast for 2018 to 2023
suggests that wine will be the
only major drinks category
to see sales fall, with an
A COMPANY BEING ETHICAL
IS REALLY BECOMING
VERY IMPORTANT, ALMOST
INDISPENSABLE.
Irish harpsichordist Emer
Kirwan-Buckley and her
husband Fabrice Priou
bought the Graves AOP
Chateau Sirio in 2015
to fulfil their dream of
running an organic winery,
and have since won four
awards.
Despite having no
background in viticulture,
the awards for the wines
culminated in the "Trophée
des Crus de Graves", which
they bagged in 2019 for the
Chateau's dry white 2018
vintage. The prestigious
award places them in
the top ten of the Graves
Appellation d'Origine
Controlée (AOC).
From the outset, the
Franco-Irish couple aimed
to take a sustainable
approach to the
cultivation of vines and the
environment, prioritising
quality over quantity.
The 18 ha estate has six
ha currently in production
of Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon grapes for red
wine and Sauvignon Blanc
and Semillon for white wine.
The red wines are aged in
French oak barrels, while
the Sauvignon grapes are
aged in thermo-regulated
vats and Semillon in oak
barrels.
Chateau Sirio participated
in the official Graves/
Sauternes stand at
Vinexpo Paris for the first
time this year
The IWSR also highlighted
the increasing demand for
healthier drinks, including
low and no alcohol, low sugar,
low carbohydrates and "free
from". However, Hartmann
said that health-conscious
consumers were just as
demanding about quality.
"They want to reduce their
alcohol intake, but they
Another trend is for the
"premiumisation" of spirits.
People are drinking less, but
better.
In terms of "super premium"
products, limited edition
versions of well-known
brands are "becoming a
really important part of the
annual 0.2% reduction
forecast. Spirits sales are
set to increase 0.6% a year,
beer 0.7%, cider 2.0 percent,
while ready-to-drink (RTD)
beverages are set for a 5.6%
annual sales increase
Emer Kirwan-
Buckley
& Fabrice Priou
Owners of Chateau Sirio
VINEXPO DAILY • THURSDAY 20 TH FEBRUARY 2020 • 3