NEWS: organic wine

HUGE GROWTH PREDICTED FOR ORGANIC WINE

Organic wine currently represents only a small percentage of the global still wine industry, however new research from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis predicts a rapid increase over the coming years.

The growth, according to the IWSR Organic Wine Report, will be fuelled by growing consumer sentiment for sustainability and organic products.

The report forecasts that by 2022, worldwide consumption of still wine is projected to reach 2.43bn nine-litre cases. The organic wine subcategory is expected to post the strongest increases (+9.2 per cent compound annual growth 2017-2022).

“Overall, total still wine volume is increasing slightly but remains largely flat, while the organic wine market is forecasted to reach 87.5m cases by 2022,” said Mark Meek, IWSR’s CEO.

“Much of that growth is being driven by Europe, which will account for 78 per cent of the global organic wine market by 2022. The Americas will represent about 12 per cent of total organic wine consumption.”

Organic wine is made from grapes grown without the addition of synthesised chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. Organic certifying bodies also place restrictions on the amount of sulphur dioxide that can be added to the wine and the chemical fining agents used in the winemaking process.

In Australia the demand for organic wine is continuing to grow and the rise in both the quality and quantity of organic wines available is a factor in this growth.

The IWSR Report shows that the total global organic area under vine has increased by 234 per cent since 2007 and in 2017 surpassed 400,000 hectares.