By now, it comes as no surprise to anyone: the demand for wine is changing. The traditional wine drinker is disappearing, and new generations are not only drinking less, but above all, different wines. This is causing winemakers a great deal of headaches. And it is also causing significant problems for the trade (which is often forgotten). You could write wonderful stories about those problems. However, I find it more fascinating to look at the perspective. So: which wines are becoming interesting now, and why?
To determine which wines are worth paying attention to, we must make a number of assumptions. What trends are visible? What developments do experts see emerging? What criteria can collectively ensure success? The list I use for this is based on literature, but also on individual conversations with winemakers, maîtres d’hôtes, traders, and sommeliers. Sometimes these are trends everyone is already familiar with, sometimes developments that are on the horizon.
For white:
- Fresher and/or fruity
- Light body
- Lower alcohol
- Marketing (brand, label, bottle) is becoming increasingly important
For rosé:
- Fruitier
- Up to medium body
- More color (the trend of increasingly lighter seems to be over!)
- Marketing (brand, label, bottle) is becoming increasingly important
For red:
- Less body
- Fruitier
- Little to no tannins
- Lower alcohol
Let’s look at five well-known wine-producing countries based on these criteria. How are winemakers in those countries responding to these developments? And which – sometimes still unknown – wines potentially meet these criteria? It yields a few surprising and interesting examples!
France
The market for heavy red wines is declining. Many wineries are therefore seeking creative solutions and introducing variations on their own themes. In Bergerac, known for traditional red wines, a number of winemakers started producing rosé a few years ago. And primarily from Merlot or Cabernet Franc. The Merlot yields a fresh but above all round rosé with some body. For example, at Domaine Le Clos du Breil. A little further away is Cahors, where Chateau Camp del Saltre, under the new Dutch owner Eddy van Heel, is making a significant leap in quality. The revamped red wines have already won quite a few awards. A Malbec rosé has also recently been released. And it leaves you wanting more: the Malbec imparts a robust flavor to this rosé while remaining dry. Actually a very good alternative to red, certainly for summery food and wine pairings.
The trend towards light wines offers opportunities for the Northern French wine regions. For instance, as far as I am concerned, it is high time for a breakthrough for the Côtes de Toul, known for its ‘gris de Toul’. A full-bodied and particularly flavorful rosé made from Gamay, which is currently widely consumed, particularly within the region itself. The brothers André and Roland Lelièvre (and now the next generation) produce the finest bottles of this gris, featuring a commercially very attractively designed label. The kings of France sourced their wine from this area some 700 years ago. The Dutch should do the same on their way back from the south!
Le retour du Beaujolais
And it seems that Beaujolais Nouveau, serving as an example for the entire Beaujolais region, has made a comeback. A leap in quality has been made here as well, resulting in a clearer, more flavorful profile. Think of the one from Claire Chasselay, available in the Netherlands at Bosman Wijnkopers. Also striking is the attention paid to specific crus such as Morgon: it appears on more and more wine lists. That is unfortunate, however, for the comparable but less trendy cru Fleurie from Domaine Montangeron (Henri Bloem).
Italy
Has Italy been lost to beer? When I recently visited a trade fair in Rimini, it certainly seemed like it. Until I drank a glass of the local Rebola Colli di Rimini grape that evening. Round, full-bodied, and yet with a nice ‘bite’. Moreover, at the fair, Bibenda 2026, the leading Italian wine guide, unveiled the Wine of the Year: the Otello Ceci (Le Grand Cru). And that turns out to be a Lambrusco. A light wine that is rapidly shedding its rather mediocre image of the past. That is certainly clear evidence of the direction in which taste is moving. Comparable is the resurrection of the (rosé) Bardolino, from the region around Lake Garda. Such as that of Lenotti (Corné Janssen Wijnimport).
In addition to the fine, lighter red wines from Alto Adige that you see increasingly in wine bars, white wines in Italy are also undergoing significant changes. Alongside increased attention to the Arneis grape, the Liguria region is also gaining more prominence, particularly regarding dry wines. In addition to the well-known wines from the Cinque Terre, the Bianchette Genovese wine (both Albarolo) from the same region is also of interest. Less well-known, but (partly due to that) offering excellent value for money.
Spain
Lately, I have been seeing Albarino on wine lists in the Netherlands remarkably often. By now, you could say that is more than just a trend, with variations on the theme such as oak aging. Personally, I find Cigales (Ribera’s northern neighbors) more interesting, as it is restoring this region to its former glory: after all, the mother of all Spanish rosés comes from Cigales. Traditionally, these rosados are quite dark red and very flavorful. Recently, those from Frutos Villar were reviewed very favorably by Perswijn. Incidentally, Frutos Villar also has a lighter variant in its range: the winemaker remains commercially minded. Here, too, the bottle is designed in a particularly attractive way.
En dan de Penedès, bekend van de cava die inmiddels overal beschikbaar is. Een van de druiven in deze streek heeft wel heel veel potentieel: de Xarel-Lo. Deze geeft de cava zijn frisheid en smaakt in een mono-cepage onwerkelijk lekker. Bijvoorbeeld Finca Viladellops (anno 976!) in Cantallops maakt een geweldige, meer upscale variant. Varianten van Xarel-Lo met Macabeu vind ik trouwens ook een aanrader maar dan bij een flinke salade of witvlees. Als je de branding een belangrijke rol laat meespelen, dan kom je uit bij XaXaXa van Can Vallès, een organische Xarel-Lo met een zeer commerciële uitstraling èn een goede waardering.And then there is the Penedès, known for the Cava that is now available everywhere. One of the grapes in this region has a great deal of potential: the Xarel-Lo. It gives the Cava its freshness and tastes unrealistically good as a single-varietal. For example, Finca Viladellops (established in 976!) in Cantallops produces a fantastic, more upscale variant. By the way, I also highly recommend variants of Xarel-Lo with Macabeu, but paired with a hearty salad or white meat. If you let branding play an important role, you end up with XaXaXa from Can Vallès, an organic Xarel-Lo with a very commercial appeal and good ratings.
Greece
A visit to the wine fair in Athens is always a chaotic experience. You struggle through masses of tourists and travel far from the old city to the Expo and back. But it is certainly worth the effort. Greece has developed enormously over the last 5 to 10 years in the fields of winemaking, marketing, and therefore the product. Like Portugal, Greece has many local grape varieties. Nevertheless, there are a striking number of vineyards with French grapes, because for decades there was little faith in local varieties. But it is precisely these native grapes that are now performing increasingly well, especially in mono-cépages. Wines made from Greek grapes such as Assyrtiko, Xinomavro, and Agiorgitiko are increasingly found on wine lists in the Netherlands.
During my last visit, I was particularly impressed by the rosé from Tyrnavos and the white wines from Limniona (an advertisement in itself), Savvationo, and Moschofilero. And if I let personal taste play a role, I choose a Greek rosé made from red Muscat and a rosé variant with Syrah and Tacthas, a rare grape from Crete.
Portugal
Alongside South Africa, Portugal is the only country where wine exports to the Netherlands are still on the rise. It is therefore no coincidence that the Netherlands has become a focus country for Vini Portugal, the Portuguese trade association for winemakers. We know that Portugal traditionally produces beautiful, full-bodied, and heavy wines. What strikes me is the amount of room given to the new generation of winemakers in this country: fresh from university oenology programs in Vila Real, they are given ample opportunity to apply their knowledge in the family business. And with results.
A fine example is the Peter and the Wolf wines from Quinta do Casal Branco (imported by Alentejo Wijnen). Of this series, the red is particularly appealing: smoother and slightly sweeter. Tannins are certainly still discernible, but beautifully hidden. Fresher red wines are now also being produced in the more northerly Douro. Take, for example, the red from Valle dos Três Irmãos: very flavorful and promising. Staying with red for a moment, Portugal also produces a red Vinho Verde. Quite dark due to the Vinhão grape. Yet fresh and with the small bubbles we know from white Vinho Verde. Speaking of which: Vinho Verde is appearing on wine lists increasingly often, and remarkably frequently at beach bars. Or at Japanese restaurants (!). Actually, no wonder for this all-rounder. But preferably the real Vinho Verde, with Loureiro, Trajadura, and a little Arinto (and therefore not 100% Alvarinho!). Such as the excellent Via Latina Branco Vinho Verde (Alentejo Wines). And when it comes to white wines, I have become a big fan of the Península de Setúbal region, south of Lisbon on the coast. Here they produce an aromatic Moscatel that can compete with the big names. And the other white wines are certainly worth mentioning as well. For true connoisseurs, there is the Moscatel de Setúbal, a dark-colored sweet dessert wine. It is remarkable if, for example, it ages for 30 years and still retains freshness even then.
In short
If we look at the criteria and briefly go through the countries, I expect good results in any case for:
- France: light reds (general, Beaujolais) and somewhat heavier rosés; Cahors and Bergerac meet all the criteria: the regions are well-known, and that already makes a significant difference.
- Italy: perhaps Bardolino after all, and for whites, the wines from the Northwest. That is purely a matter of feeling and is not yet really substantiated. But try a good rosé and you’ll be sold. And then Liguria, but specifically for the broad white wines.
- Spain: Cigales in any case, and certainly Xarel-Lo; the link with Cava is too close not to use.
- Greece: there are so many, but if I had to choose: rosé from Muscat (they are red grapes here, just like with Black Muscat from California, for example), but for white, certainly Moschofilero when I look at price/quality.
- Portugal: the light Duoro wines are technically a magnificent achievement, and the star of this region continues to rise. That actually applies to Tejo as well, although this is a lesser-known area among end customers. Vinho Verde belongs on every menu. And best wishes for Setubal.
Here is my little trend catalog; a compilation of various years of wine fairs, visits to wineries (because let’s face it, that’s where you get the real information), and a lot of documentation in all forms. My highly personal, trained perception of reality. Do you have any additions? I’d love to hear them! Enjoy—and even better—good luck with this information.