From Red to White: The Deepest Shift in Wine Consumption for Decades

Something is changing fundamentally in glasses around the world, and it can no longer be dismissed as a passing fashion. Over the past two decades, the production and consumption of white and rosé wines have followed a clearly upward trajectory on a global scale, whilst reds have been on a sustained and opposite course. A structural reversal that has led, for the first time in history, to whites and rosés accounting for more than half of global consumption.

The reasons behind this shift are multiple and mutually reinforcing. Buyers are increasingly seeking fresh, lower-alcohol profiles that fit more easily into everyday life — particularly amongst those who combine wine with lighter diets or urban lifestyles where a glass no longer need wait until dinner. The generational factor adds further weight: millennials and Generation Z consume less alcohol by volume than their predecessors, and prioritise experiences that align with their wellness habits, drawing them more naturally towards young whites, sparkling wines and rosés than towards full-bodied, aged reds.