A recent study shows that British wine drinkers are shifting in colour as they turn to the competitors of red.

Over the first trimester of 2009, red wine lost six points, being the favourite drink of 72 percent of wine drinkers, whereas the number was 78 only three months before. The share of red wine in the wine consumption of wine consumers decreased in the same period from 44 percent to 40 percent.

The obvious offset of this trend is the rising rates of competitors ‘white ‘and’ pink ‘. The consumption of white wine in the United Kingdom rose in three months from 40 to 43 percent, while rose climbed 16 percent to 18 percent.

White wines are in a winner’s mood. Within this category, the success of Pinot Grigio suggests that the Italian version of a French grape has been on the right market at the right time; in return, it boosted the performance of all white wines ! In October 2008, 47 percent of wine consumers mentioned they had emptied at least one bottle of Pinot Grigio over the trimester ; in April 2009, the figure has already risen to 54 percent. Thus, this variety is now sharing the number two position of the British hit parade of white grape varieties with Sauvignon Blanc at , after the still inaccessible Chardonnay.

Some say the shift is a matter of season, others point at a structural shift towards lighter wine styles. Other studies in the United Kingdom suggest that a growing number of consumers go for red wines during ‘formal occasions’, and prefer to keep their light and crispy white wine sip for more’ casual ‘settings.

Source: winealley.com