As I pondered on the many topics to write about in this last wine column for 2010, I wondered if 12 months is really an appropriate length of time to observe anything really meaningful in the wine world – that is literally only one vintage. So while we might be able to observe a number of marketing plays by product and brand owners, in a sense not a lot has happened directly with wine. We did not see any lost grape varietals being rediscovered or any new wine-producing nation pop onto the scene, so what did we see?

Business of wine

Constellation, which is one of the world’s largest wine companies, is selling Hardys and the rest of its Australian and UK wine business to Champ, a private equity firm based in Sydney, Australia. Other brands in the sale include Banrock Station, Leasingham, Tintara, and Yarra Burn as well as South African labels Flagstone, Kumala and Fish Hoek. “The business is no longer consistent with Constellation’s strategy,” CEO Rob Sands said in a statement. Foster’s is also considering the same move. Foster’s is the world’s second largest wine producer, with brands including Penfolds, Lindeman’s, Rosemount, Wolf Blass and Beringer.

French drinks group Rémy Cointreau has put its Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck Champagne brands up for sale in a deal which could raise as much as ¤450m. The news has provoked intense speculation over who will acquire the brands, with Diageo and Pernod Ricard named as possible bidders – although analysts believe a private equity group is the most likely buyer.

Lower-priced wines win as global recession forces consumers to look for better value wines.

Lifestyle Drink of Choice

In my opinion, wine is the lifestyle drink of choice in Jamaica. Every year there is trade material that shows the heated debate among the cocktail, beer, and wine fraternities. For me it’s simple, I scan the social hot spots of Jamaica for what the yuppies (are they still using that word?), socialites and the hip people are drinking. The in-crowd, intellectuals, art crowd and the business leaders are mostly drinking wine.

Hot Varietal – Malbec

I found that a lot of people were asking for Malbec this year. Back in 2004, US wine critic Robert Parker predicted that Argentine Malbec would soon become one of the most popular red varietals in the world. When asked why he made this prediction, he responded, “I think the quality of Malbec at all price ranges in Argentina continues to be one of the great wine stories in the world. Remarkably high quality wines are available at very low prices, and of course, there are also the world-class Malbec made by the most serious producers in Argentina. Argentina has proven that Malbec is a world-class grape, something that France was never able to achieve.”

What I learnt on the floor

After completing a full year in the retail end of the wine business you should learn a few things. These are:

– While some still find the topic of wine intimidating, there is a steady increase in persons who want to learn more about wine.

– Most people don’t know what they like to drink, even the ones who wax poetical about their deep wine knowledge.

– While there are increasing numbers of people willing to experiment, most want to drink the same wine every time.

– Wine appreciation, like art appreciation, has several stages and phases. Wines you loved at the beginning of the year, might not the wines that you still like at the end of the year, tastes do change.

Out with the old, in with the new

With two more days before you welcome 2011, do reflect on the great lessons learned from mistakes you might have made in 2010 and before. Do set some new targets or resolutions for the New Year and make a plan to keep them. For me it’s simple: a healthy more balanced lifestyle — it’s a good thing wine is a part of that.

Chris Reckord — Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. He and his wife Kerri-Anne are part owners of Jamaica’s only Wine Bar — Bin 26 Wine Bar in Devon House, Kingston. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com