#Trending: Wine's Growing Influence on Culture

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Sep 04, 2013, 13:01 ET

World's Largest Trend Community Weighs in as Wolf Blass^® Marks 30^th Anniversary of Yellow Label in Canada

TORONTO, Sept. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Canadians love their wine. So much so, we're not only among one of the fastest growing wine consumers globally¹, we're fundamentally changing an industry centuries in the making as wine continues to become a key part of our lifestyle.

According to "Top Trends in Wine" released today by Wolf Blass and Trend Hunter, the largest online trend community encompassing approximately 12,000 Canadians: our growing knowledge of wine is fueled by technology, we have an infatuation with fashion, and a thirst for experiences are among the trends moving wine out of the cellar and putting it squarely on our 'social agenda' in and out of the home.

Five Hot Trends, One Top Blend:*

Trend #1:	We're all becoming Everyday Sommeliers thanks to social media, social apps, and direct access to winemakers. The trend is especially evident among men, fueled by high-tech wine cellars, digital catalogues and computerized sommelier systems. At the same time, we're equally okay to poke fun at wine. Among the most attention-getting wine innovations are those which diffuse the snobbery, injecting a sense of humour into occasions.

Trend #2:	Wine-Inspired Style. Boxed wines shaped to look like designer handbags, stylized stemware and statement wine cellars are in vogue as wine is becoming a key element of our personal brand.

Trend #3:	We're infatuated with experiences. Wine is the reason to gather, not what we enjoy when we gather creating a trend that impacts packaging, weekend plans and tourism on a global scale including: Wine as Activity. Packaging that can be personalized for the occasion. Winecations. Boomers seek new experiences leading to wine country tourism around the globe. Wine Painting Parties. We're heading out to enjoy wine and paint, including walls of winebars! Social Sharing. In 2009, there were over 19 million blog posts with 700 dedicated wine bloggers². By 2011, there were 452 Wine Apps for the iPhone³.Today, more than 21,000 Canadians follow Wolf Blass Wines Canada on Facebook.⁴

Trend #4:	"Celebrity Crush": Pop culture is enamored with new wine releases from rock bands, to Hollywood superstars to sports celebrities.

Trend #5:	Calorie-Conscious Consumption. Wine lovers concerned about their waistlines have given rise to an entirely new category of portion controlled and reduced alcohol options. Accessories with built-in reminders help others stay on track with health goals while satisfying their craving for indulgence.

Regarded as an innovator globally, the wineries' founder, Wolfgang (Wolf) Blass, is credited for setting many wine trends, including helping to establish quality wines from Australia in Canada. Today's release of the "Top Trends in Wine" coincides with the 30^th Anniversary of Wolf Blass Yellow Label in Canada, ranked as Canada's top-selling Cabernet Sauvignon. The milestone is being marked by the release of a "Limited Edition" Yellow Label Shiraz-Grenache-Mourvèdre Barossa blend and through a series of wine experiences and social campaigns (#HadABlass), placing Wolf Blass squarely in the trends.

Wolf Blass History of Innovations / Milestones:

1960s: Australian table wines first introduced to Canada.
1970s: Amidst an industry of plain white labels, Wolf Blass introduces colour coded labels to simplify wine shopping.
1983: Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon available for the first time in Canada.
1991: Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon now a general list in Ontario - LCBO price $13.30.
1996: Wolf Blass becomes Canada's top selling Australian wine (750 ml).
2000: Wolf Blass moves to screw cap closures across its entire portfolio of wines.
2006: Wolf Blass collaborates with LCBO to launch world's first 750ml unbreakable wine bottle.
2013: Wolf Blass named Red Winemaker of the Year at London's International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Quotes:

Jeremy Gutsche, Chief Trend Hunter and Author Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During Times of Change.

"Wolf Blass and Trend Hunter are revealing new research reflecting a radical shift in society's engagement with wine, fueled by our growing obsession with style, access to technology, and pursuit of experiences. These trends are indicators of what we value socially, with our friends at our table, and socially in our network. One thing is clear: change has come to the wine industry affording a new opportunity to capture Millennials and Gen X'ers in addition to boomers."

About Wolf Blass:
Wolf Blass was established in the Barossa Valley in 1966 and has grown from a humble tin shed to become one of the world's most successful and awarded wine brands. A recipient of more than 3,000 medals and trophies at national and international wine shows, the essence of Wolf Blass wines is exemplified through the passion of its custodians past and present as they continuously strive to produce wines of quality, character and consistency.

About Trend Hunter:
Trend Hunter, based in Toronto, Canada, was launched in 2006. With 40,000,000 monthly views, TrendHunter.com is the world's largest, most popular trend community fueled by a global network of 121,000 members. Trend Hunter crowd sources thousands of ideas and crowd filter the best articles using millions of weekly views. Trend Hunter TV and Trend Hunter PRO feature 201,000 micro-trends and cutting edge ideas.

* Additional data on trends by region and by gender available.

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¹http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1102565/canada-s-wine-and-spirits-market-to-continue-rapid-growth
²http://www.vintank.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/VinTank_SocialMediaReport.pdf
³http://visual.ly/are-there-any-good-wine-apps-iphone
⁴ www.facebook.com/WolfBlassCanada

Image with caption: "Wolf Blass Wines www.wolfblasswines.com. 2013 Marks the 30th Anniversary of Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon in Canada. (CNW Group/Wolf Blass)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130904_C9776_PHOTO_EN_30362.jpg

Image with caption: "Wolf Blass Yellow Label 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Blend (CNW Group/Wolf Blass)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130904_C9776_PHOTO_EN_30331.jpg

Image with caption: "Wolf Blass Wines Marks 30 Years in Canada with a look at wine trends around the world and evolution of Canada's top-selling Cabernet Sauvignon. (CNW Group/Wolf Blass)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130904_C9776_PHOTO_EN_30385.jpg

SOURCE: Wolf Blass