The Growing Wine World: Everyone Wants In

If one were to imagine the most likely destination for an ambitious sommelier to thrive and prosper, the United Arab Emirates might, to put it mildly, not come very near the top of the list.

Yet despite the theoretical confines of Islam in the Middle East, record numbers of students are enrolling on WSET programs in the region, while leading hotel chain Jumeirah has started running courses in-house for staff.

It's a similar story in neighboring Africa. Indeed, visitors to modern-day Nairobi, Accra and Lagos may be surprised by what they encounter, not least the expanding set of wine bars and trendy bistros, fueled by rising prosperity and the gradual trickle-down of wealth.

"Basically, you have to think that the people from these countries want exactly the same as us: the choice," says Lise Chapelier of Meridian Wine Merchants in Cape Town.

"They get bored of drinking the same thing, having only access to a limited range of drinks. Their habits are changing because their country is changing very fast."

So it's hardly surprising that the WSET has recorded its biggest ever year, with a record 94,822 candidates taking up courses in wine and spirits in the past 12 months – an increase of 11 percent on the previous year.

Supply is continuing to rise to the challenge of meeting growing demand worldwide – this year saw both Brazil and the UAE enter the top 10, with WSET candidate numbers increasing by 40 percent and 75 percent respectively.

In addition, the organization recently announced that it would start offering its courses in Kenya, Macedonia and Slovakia.

"Demand for wine and spirit education is rising globally, so WSET continually strives to offer qualifications through Approved Programme Providers in every market that shows potential and desire for further knowledge," said WSET international business development director, Jude Mullins.

However, there's no prizes for guessing which nation dominates the league – China is at the top of the table with the highest total number of WSET candidates.

Far cry, of course, from the picture 40 years ago. The wine industry was a white man's monopoly – Caucasians made it, sold it and largely consumed it.

The mere thought of encountering an Asian winemaker or a wine enthusiast from Kenya or Chengdu – aside from expats – was as ludicrous as contemplating growing Torrontes in Chambertin.

But no more. The monopoly is gone, although wine is obviously still predominantly a white man's domaine, certainly in terms of production and distribution.

Yet as consumption and interest from all corners of the globe continues to rise, things are going to have to change. For one thing, the labels and formats westerners take for granted probably won't cut it in many developing economies.

That's according to Wine Intelligence CEO Lulie Halstead, who believes standard bottle formats may be sidelined for more practical enclosures as firms continue to export outside of traditional markets.

"In economies such as sub-Sahara Africa, where people are often paid wages erratically, single-serve wine formats such as cans make more sense," says Halstead. "It's easier to preserve quality, there is less opportunity for tampering, breakage and they're easier to distribute. Moreover, they're more affordable and practical for consumers paid on a daily basis."

In addition, catering to a new set of consumers may necessitate a sweeter approach.

It's a cliche that new wine drinkers prefer sweeter styles, but in emerging markets, such as India, selling bone-dry Sancerre and Chablis could be commercial suicide.

A survey undertaken by the US Wine Institute in 2008 on the Indian wine industry indicated that the most popular wines were wines that on first glance purport to be dry, varietals of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc which actually contain considerable levels of residual sugar.

It's a market trend that Rajeev Samant, owner of Sula Vineyards, was eager to capitalize on when Sula was founded in 1999. "Sula's Chenin Blanc is India's best selling white wine. It's a particular favorite with women drinkers. They definitely gravitate towards it because of the 15 grams of residual sugar," he says.

Meanwhile, the days when winery visits meant entertaining fellow westerners are long gone.

A visit to Stellenbosch in January reinforced the growing importance of catering to new markets – restaurants and tasting rooms were often hosting large parties from India, China and beyond.

Hell, even fish-and-chip shops in the UK are changing their approach to cater to global demand – Scotts Fish and Chips near York translated its menu into Mandarin and Cantonese because the dish is now so popular with Chinese tourists.

"For a number of years we have seen visitors from a range of countries – we have noticed a shift towards non-English speaking tourists from China and have responded to this by appointing a full time cellar door assistant who speaks Mandarin," says Villa Maria's CEO Abe Salt.

"We are constantly adapting our business to meet the needs of customers and would certainly consider all possibilities to welcome tourists from abroad, including hiring Mandarin-speaking guides," adds Denbies Chief Operating Officer Jeannette Simpson.

However, Napa Valley is way ahead of its competitors.

Yao Family Wines, founded by former Houston Rockets NBA star Yao Ming has been welcoming Mandarin speakers in their own language on tours and tastings for several years now, while Mondavi, Beringer and Castello di Amorosa have all embraced the value of yuan.

There's also now a Chinese language option on the Napa Valley Wine Train.

Of course, smaller outfits will undoubtedly regard most of these developments as totally irrelevant.

If tourism isn't a priority, and the focus remains squarely fixed on traditional markets such as the UK and Germany, little has changed.

But for wineries hoping to lure in tomorrow's wine enthusiasts, a one-size-fits-all approach to packaging, marketing and PR simply won't wash anymore.