Uncorked

Wine lovers braced for price increases in 2022

There’s been speculation that wine lovers could see prices rise in 2022, due to the higher cost of everything from glass to shipping, and smaller harvests. Winemakers and merchants are no strangers to tight profit margins, but the UK Wine and Spirit Trade Association raised concerns before Christmas that wine prices may rise in 2022 due to higher costs, inflation and supply chain issues.

Daniel Lambert, MD of importer Daniel Lambert Wines, said costs were up in several areas, including on glass across Europe and on shipping globally. Smaller 2021 harvests in some major regions could intensify price pressure on certain varietal wines, too. Lambert predicted a ‘global shortage’ of Sauvignon Blanc in 2022, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay supplies also looking tight. He said there’s ‘no doubt in my mind that we will see price increases’ on wines from these varieties.

Yet importers and retailers have also been searching for alternative suppliers. Lambert has looked more closely at German Spätburgunder (Pinot