The popularity of wine in magnums (the equivalent of a double bottle) and other large formats seems to track the stock market; when stocks are up, so is big bottle demand. In the U.K., wine retailer Majestic reported a 378 percent increase in sales of affordable supersize bottles last year, at its 200-plus stores. 

 

The trend started with oversize bottles of rosé poured in Saint Tropez, and in 2017 Aldi supermarkets launched inexpensive jeroboams (4 bottles) of prosecco in the U.K. for Christmas.

 

For those craving luxury wines, Domaine Clarence Dillon (which includes first growth Château Haut Brion) recently launched an online retail site dedicated to sourcing and selling large formats of everything from Beaujolais to Champagne to whisky. A Balthazar (16 bottles) of the polished, syrah-based 2014 Domaine de Montcalmès from the Languedoc is €479; for €15,600 you can have a Salmanazar (12 bottles) of the truly fabulous 2005 Château Haut Brion.  

 

But don’t think too big: the outlandish Melchizedek of Champagne—the equivalent of 40 bottles of fizz—has been known to spontaneously explode. 

So many regions are poised for attention, it’s hard to single out only one. The Republic of Georgia has captured the hearts of the natural wine crowd, Madeira is on the verge of a moment, Croatia beckons, England is already there, and I’ve been impressed by new avant-garde wines from cool areas of Australia and Chile. 

 

But I predict we’re about to rediscover Spain. Popular culture evidence? Rachel Lindsay, star of the romance reality TV series The Bachelorette, took her final suitors to “romantic” Rioja last summer for a wine tasting in old caves, grape stomping, and a helicopter tour of vineyards. 

 

Seriously, though, a new generation of vignerons is bringing change to every region there, including classic Rioja, and creating reds and whites from such places as Ribeira Sacra and the Gredos mountains with character and quality at bargain prices. 

Climate change is affecting so much: The fear of it has encouraged winemakers to adopt better eco-vino vineyard practices and to experiment with new grape varieties. Rising temperatures are also drastically rejiggering wine geography.  The steady warming of Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, for example, may turn the area into a new source of top pinot noir. Until recently, farmers had little luck growing the grape. Now there are 33 wineries, and more are on the way. 

 

Even the state of Maine is hosting a class this month for farmers who want to grow wine grapes. Is Newfoundland next? 

Despite its convenience and range of choices, online wine shopping in the U.S. lags way behind China. Expect a boost in 2018. The primary barriers to growth have been the high cost of shipping and the U.S.’s complicated alcohol regulations.  Consumers in 44 states can have wine from any U.S. wineries delivered directly to their doors, but only those in about 14 states can have wine purchases shipped directly from out-of-state retailers, which means they can’t buy a lot of imported wines.  

 

Enter Heini Zachariassen, founder and chief executive officer of wine app Vivino. In December he launched Vivino Premium, which aims to be the Amazon Prime for wine. A $47 annual membership fee gives you free shipping for an amazing selection of wines, even first growths, all shipped legally because Vivino partners with a network of local wine shops. (A one-month free trial is available.)

 

JD.com, China’s second biggest e-commerce company, plans to capture luxury online wine shoppers there with ultra-premium delivery service. Couriers wearing suits and white gloves were already delivering watches and jewelry; the expansion to wine started last month. 

 

Photographer: Adam Drobiec / EyeEm/EyeEm

 

D'Arenberg Cube.Source: d'Arenberg