Authorized Fake Wines, and Other REAL Trends in 2016

What will be the most important, most newsworthy trends in the wine business in 2016? What trends and events will trigger every idea-less wine blogger to take to his keyboard and rewrite other people’s original remarks? This is the big question that arises every January. I have the answer. It’s going to be a very dull year in the wine business in 2016. Remember, you heard it here first. Nothing especially significant is going to happen. For God’s sake, it’s wine. It’s insignificant by definition. It’s happy juice made from grapes. Hard to think of much that’s more insignificant—maybe wrestling, or YouTube. That said, and it needed to be said, here are the trends and events I foresee for 2016.

Predicting wine trends each year has become column fodder for just about every wine writer--yet another Wines for Thanksgiving, Gifts for the Wine Lover, and Top 100 Wines sort of drivel. Let's face it, predicting Grower Champagnes will retain their popularity, or that Natural Wines will become more mainstream, or that younger wine writers will emerge to influence the market, is the equivalent of gazing into your crystal ball and predicting "Star Wars" will make a lot of money. Wine writers make Miss Manners seem cutting edge. 

In order to read the HoseMaster's predictions for 2016, you'll need to pop over to Tim Atkin's site, where I'm beginning my fourth year as a contributor. That's hard to believe. As always, do comment over at Tim's site, or if that's too challenging, or you don't feel so Downton Abbeyish, you may leave your fresh crumpets for my delectation here.

TIM ATKIN MW