Wine companies are going all-out to lure younger consumers to the category, with innovations including blue wine, blouge, wine and cola RTDs, sorbet-flavoured brands and more.
While the new releases might horrify wine purists, the pivot has been driven by necessity. Global wine consumption is at its lowest level since the 1960s, falling by 3.5 billion litres since 2019. And it is forecast to fall another 1.5 billion litres by 2029.
Research from IWSR, however, has revealed growth opportunities in the wine market, including no/low-alcohol, low-sugar/low-calorie, sparkling wine and products with strong sustainability credentials or RTDs.
IWSR Head of Research – EMEA Dan Mettyear said: “The cohorts aged legal drinking age to 34 are growing in several key markets, reshaping consumer habits and offering new opportunities for growth.
“These wine drinkers show higher involvement, experimentation and openness to new styles and formats.”
France’s hottest new wine trend is blouge, a mix of white (blanc) and red (rouge) grapes. Served slightly chilled, the resulting tipple aims to be light and refreshing like a white, but with the structure and depth of a red.
“The blouge is more for the bar and for apéro, 5pm or 6pm after work, in the sun,” French winemaker Lucas Madonia told The Guardian.
At Wine Paris 2026, ANIVIN Director Valérie Pajotin discussed the rapid growth of the “Vin de France” category, which offers winemakers a space free from the strict regulations that define traditional French wine classifications, allowing them to experiment with blends and styles that were not previously possible.
According to ANIVIN data, exports of Vin de France wines have increased by more than 30% since 2015, with particularly strong demand for unconventional styles like orange wine and blouge.
Hot on the heels of its luridly coloured, smash-hit Echo Calls Blue Raspberry wine, Vinarchy is launching an RTD in the UK that blends its Jam Shed red wine with cola.
Jammy Red Wine x Cola will go on sale next month, with the company saying it had taken inspiration for the 7% ABV drink from calimocho, a Spanish beverage made with red wine and cola.
Vinarchy Chief Marketing Officer Sandy Mayo said: “Jam Shed has never been a brand to play by the rules and this is a perfect example of redefining the way wine can show up for consumers in new ways for new occasions.”
Vinarchy Head of Brand Marketing Peter English said: “Jam Shed is a brand built on disruption and bold flavour and this launch is no different. Consumer appetite for convenient, flavour-forward options is only growing and Jam Shed is well positioned to capitalise on that momentum.”
Meanwhile, Blue Raspberry launched exclusively into the independent trade last month. The 9% ABV product was an instant hit on social media and quickly sold out at many locations.
Following the launch, Vinarchy CEO Danny Celoni said: “Our Echo Falls Blue Raspberry launch in the UK is lighting up! Retailers are selling out within hours, we’ve already hit more than 10 million impressions, and organic social engagement is accelerating at pace.
“At Vinarchy we’ve set about Redefining Wine—from glass to grape—and the early signs suggest we’re onto something with this one.
“This is just the start. We are on a mission to reignite the appeal of wine, drive genuine category growth and bring excitement back to the shelf. That means thinking big, expanding the category and bringing new people into wine as we redefine what it can be.
“This won’t be for everyone, but that’s the point! There’s a huge audience out there who want something fun, different and made for them. Echo Falls Blue Raspberry is one of those brands that we have seen to have potential to bring new people back into the category.”
Treasury Wine Estates recently introduced its Sorbet range, which includes Raspberry Rose, Lemon Prosecco, Mango Sauvignon Blanc, Passionfruit Pinot Gris, Strawberry Pinot Noir and Wild Berry Shiraz. Sorbet targets younger drinkers with an appetite for lighter, easy-drinking and lower alcohol content options.
TWE global director of insights, strategy, and planning Adele Felsch told The Australian: “We know we need to recruit a younger audience in order to drive sustainable growth for wine.
“Sorbet is a super fun example, which is all linked to driving refreshment in a new and exciting way and dialling up those natural flavour cues in the varietals.”