Listen to Industry News and other Insights on the Bevcast Podcast Channel on Soundcloud. Bevcast Weekly News is a news series giving you a quick look at the most important news, trends, and developments of the week.

Bevcast Weekly News is brought to you by China Wine Competition, which is an international wine competition that Beverage Trade Network hosts in Shanghai where wines are judged For On-Premise Market on Food Pairability, Typicity, Value, Quality, and Package.

 Submission is now open for the 2019 China Wine Competition. Please visit ChinaWineCompetition.com for more information on how winning the China Wine Competition medal can help you grow your wine brand.

 So gear up for your week ahead - these are our top stories of the week.

*To listen to the full Podcast and more, kindly stay tuned into BevCast channel on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Stitcher.

Low-to-No Alcohol Wines Growing in Favor With Younger Drinkers

According to a new report from drinks market analyst IWSR, low-to-no alcohol wines are seeing a surge in demand across the U.S., UK, and Europe. Since low- and no-alcohol wines lack the same flavor as traditional wines made with alcohol, the new trend features sangria-type drinks and fizzy sparkling wines.

In Search of Young Millennial Wine Industry Professionals

Constant debate over the best ways to attract young millennial wine consumers now has a new twist – concern that the wine industry is not attracting enough young wine professionals and wine critics. To attract young millennials, the wine industry need to be seen as modern, inclusive, creative and tech-savvy.

Re-Thinking the Need For Formal Wine Training

Wine Enthusiast recently considered the pros and cons of formal wine training. In the U.S., there may be more of a “European model” emerging, in which winemaking knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. This model would place much less emphasis on formal wine training or academic knowledge of viticulture.

Organic Wine is a Growing Worldwide Phenomenon

Organic wine producers from around the world attended the Millésime Bio organic wine fair, which takes place every January in the South of France. Organic wine only accounts for 3% of all wine sold worldwide, but it is a rapidly growing market now that high-quality organic wines can compete with traditional wines.

French Wine Exports to China Take a Tumble in 2018

French wine exports overall rose 2.6% to almost €9 billion in 2018, but there are troubling signs on the horizon – including a 25% drop in exports to China. The latest numbers from the French wine & spirits exports body are troubling news for premium French producers eyeing the Chinese market.

As China Expands Its Presence in French Wine Industry, Experts Take Note

At the Wine Paris trade fair, one of the topics of discussion was the growing Chinese presence in the French wine business. Wealthy Chinese investors have now purchased 168 French wine-producing chateaux. As a result, some experts view China as a potential risk to the nation’s heritage.

Scotch Whisky Exports to the United States Top $1.3 Billion in 2018

The U.S. market continues to be a key market for Scotch whisky exporters. Export sales of Scotch to the U.S. increased by 12.8 percent on an annual basis last year, and the U.S. now accounts for approximately one-fifth (22%) of total Scotch exports.

New Blockchain Technology Could Disrupt the Future of Wine Purchasing

An Israeli startup company is using blockchain technology to offer a “wine futures” market. Buyers can choose the specific attributes of a wine they would like to purchase (such as color, country of origin, price) from a winery, and have that wine delivered to them as soon as it is ready.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust Celebrates 50 Years

Founded in 1969, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is now marking a half-century of educating wine experts around the world with a series of events that will take place in its 50th anniversary year. 75 percent of people taking WSET courses are now located outside of the UK.

A New Rosé Wine Designed To Be Served on the Rocks

Fresh off its spectacular success in France and Brazil, where it has sold more than 2 million bottles combined, Rosé Piscine – a wine specifically made to drink over ice – is now coming to the United States. The wine is made from the Négrette grape in southwest France.

Attracting Young Millennials By Going Green

If you want to sell wine to young millennials, one option is to emphasize the green sustainability message. Young millennial consumers want to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good. As a result, terms like “sustainable energy sources” and “zero carbon emissions” are increasingly becoming part of wine PR messages.

The Making of a Popular Rosé Wine Brand For Millennials

Ad Week recently profiled the success of millennial wine brand JNSQ, which offers both Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc wines in beautiful glass bottles that resemble luxury perfumes. JNSQ is a creation of The Wonderful Company, which is also the owner of brands like POM Wonderful, FIJI Water and Wonderful Pistachios.

Top Wine and Cocktail Trends for 2019

Food and beverage industry tracker Technomic has released a new “On-Premise Intelligence Report” detailing changing consumer tastes. Italian red wine and prosecco are gaining in popularity on restaurant wine lists, while classic cocktails like margaritas are being replaced by unique specialty drinks and restaurant signature cocktails.

Top US Wine and Spirits Players Focus on the Canadian Cannabis Market

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the largest U.S wine and spirits wholesaler, is exploring new opportunities to develop, sell and market recreational cannabis products in Canada, where they are now legal. Southern Glazer’s entered the market earlier by partnering with a top Canadian cannabis producer.

How Climate Change Will Transform the World’s Top Wine Regions

A new University of Maryland study takes a closer look at how climate change will change growing conditions over the next 60 years. Some regions, such as the New York Finger Lakes, will become hotter and wetter; other regions, such as California, will become warmer and drier. This transformation will require new approaches to winemaking.

Treasury Wine Estates Wants to Sell More Luxury French Wine to China

It’s not just French producers that want to sell more premium wine to Chinese wine drinkers. Australia’s Treasury Wine Estates is looking to gain a bigger share of the French wine market in China via a new French wine brand, Maison de Grand Esprit, created in 2017.

New Wines from China’s Ningxia Wine Region Coming to the UK

Premium Chinese wines are on the upswing globally. Case in point: top UK importer and wholesaler Liberty Wines has added two new Ningxia wines – including a rare Riesling – to its portfolio. The area around the Helan Mountains in Ningxia has emerged as a new center of premium Chinese wines.

Pernod Looking to Sell Off Wine Brands From Its Portfolio

Pernod Ricard, fresh off its sale of Argentine wine brand Graffigna, is now looking to sell off other wine brands that are not meeting core revenue and profitability targets. Pernod Ricard – which owns wine brands like Jacob’s Creek, Camp Viejo, and Kenwood – is looking to eliminate brands that rely on discounting.

The Internet of Wine is Coming to a Vineyard Near You

You’ve probably heard of the Internet of Things (IoT), but have you also heard of the Internet of Wine? The terms refer to agricultural IoT solutions that help grape growers and winemakers adjust to the variability of climate and soil in order to make better wine and overcome imperfect vineyard conditions.

Wine Critic Robert Parker Profiles the Top Wines of 2019

Calling the current period a “Golden Age for Wine,” international wine critic Robert Parker recently outlined the wines he thinks will be the best investments of the year. Wines from Saint-Émilion in Bordeaux led the list, followed by Italian wines from Sicily and southern Italy, and Zinfandel blends from California.

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Thank you again for going through the Bevcast Weekly News. Once again, a quick reminder to enter your wines in the 2019 China Wine Competition, the international wine competition that is organized by Beverage Trade Network every year in Shanghai that rates wines by Quality, Value, and Package.

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