Internationalization, premiumization and diversity of the world's winegrape varieties

ABSTRACT

This article reveals the extent to which national mixes of winegrape varieties (in terms of vineyard bearing area) have become more ‘internationalized’ and of arguably higher quality since wine globalization accelerated from the 1990s, and what that means for diversity of the varietal mix in the global vineyard and in consumer choice. It does so using an updated global database involving 800+ wine regions that account for 99% of the world's winegrape vineyard area and 1,700+ DNA-distinct prime winegrape varieties and 1350+ synonyms, for 2000, 2010 and 2016. It shows that vignerons’ winegrape varietal choices are narrowing in the various wine-producing countries of the world by converging on the major ‘international’ varieties, especially French ones. This is not inconsistent with the fact that wine consumers in most countries are enjoying an ever-wider choice range in terms of varieties, thanks to far greater international trade in wine associated with the current wave of globalization. Nor is it inconsistent with strengthening vigneron interest in ‘alternative’ and native varieties. The data also suggest the quality of the current global mix of varieties has been rising well above the average quality of the most-planted varieties as of 1990 or 2000.

KEYWORDS:

• Index of similarity between national and global varietal mixes
• index of internationalization of prime varieties
• quality of winegrape varieties

Acknowledgement

An early version of part of this paper was presented at the 13th International Terroir Congress, 15–20 November 2020, Adelaide. The authors are grateful for helpful comments from Congress participants, and for financial support from Wine Australia and from the University of Adelaide's Faculty of the Professions and School of Agriculture, Food and Wine under Research Project UA1803-3-1.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Numerous climate variables also are included in the database for each of the regions, prepared with the assistance of Gregory Jones, CEO of Abacela Vineyards and Winery (formerly of Linfield University) in Oregon, and Germán Puga of the University of Adelaide.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are grateful for helpful comments from Congress participants, and for financial support from Wine Australia and from the University of Adelaide’s Faculty of the Professions and School of Agriculture, Food and Wine under Research Project UA1803-3-1.