Wine is shedding its traditional image, thanks to innovators like Terry Xu Wei, a popular wine educator who is redefining how people discuss and appreciate this age-old beverage. With nearly 300,000 followers on Chinese social media, Xu, known as Xiao Pi, uses creative and relatable language to describe wine characteristics. His unconventional terms like “fresh tiles after rain” or “fur on the back of bats’ wings” resonate with a new generation of wine enthusiasts who find traditional descriptors like “gooseberries” or “tawny” outdated and unrelatable.
Xu’s approach aims to make wine accessible to young consumers who crave more vibrant and understandable ways to engage with the drink. He believes that rather than forcing new drinkers to conform to the conventional wine lexicon, educators should use terms that evoke vivid, relatable imagery. For instance, he describes dry Riesling as “a water droplet falling onto your tongue in a rock cave,” making the sensory experience of wine more tangible for those unfamiliar with traditional wine tasting language.
This shift in wine communication reflects a broader trend in the industry. Wine educators and venues are moving away from the jargon set by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), a global organization established in the UK in 1969 to standardize wine education. Instead, they are focusing on descriptions that emphasize the sensory and experiential aspects of wine drinking.
In Hong Kong, venues like Crushed Wines in Sai Ying Pun are embracing this change. The tasting notes at Crushed Wines feature playful and imaginative descriptions such as “Jell-O & joy” or “pineapple Haribo.” Co-founder Leigh-Ann Luckette explains that this strategy removes preconceived notions about how specific wines should taste, allowing drinkers to approach wine with an open mind. For example, omitting the grape variety on the menu encourages customers to explore new wines without bias, focusing instead on the flavors and experiences each bottle offers.
American wine critic James Suckling is also adapting to these changing preferences. He is launching an AI-powered wine database that will provide extensive tasting notes without including traditional ratings or prices. Suckling believes that today’s consumers are more interested in the immediate enjoyment and contextual relevance of wine rather than its technical specifications.
This evolving approach to wine is not just about language but also about the types of wines gaining popularity. Modern consumers are gravitating towards fresher, more delicate wines that are easy to enjoy without the need for decanting or specialized glassware. This trend was first evident in the rise of rosé in the early 2000s, a wine often associated with casual settings like beach parties and brunches. The success of rosé demonstrated that wine could be enjoyed in a laid-back, unpretentious manner, paving the way for other easy-drinking styles.
Statistics from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine indicate that the global demand for white and rosé wines has significantly increased over the past two decades, while red wine consumption has declined. From 2017 to 2021, white wine consumption grew to 42.2% of the market, and rosé reached 9.5%, collectively surpassing the market share of red wine.
As dietary habits shift towards healthier and lighter options, so too does the preference for wines that complement these changes. This has led to a growing demand for wines with refined, subtle flavors rather than the robust, full-bodied varieties that were once popular. The transformation in wine language and preferences signals a new era for the industry, one that embraces diversity and creativity, making wine more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
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