A cold, crisp glass of white wine or rosé is a summer staple, but as the United Kingdom has experienced its sixth wettest July on record, red wine and a cosy night in seem more appropriate, with the most significant increases seen in classic French fine red wine, in particular with Burgundy leading the way (163 percent) and Chilean fine red wine by UK retailer, Waitrose.
Over the last month, there were temperatures of 14.9 degrees and this dip in temperature is reflected in customers' drinking habits, with red wine from all regions seeing an increase in sales. In comparison, in July 2022, temperatures soared as high as 40 degrees, with searches for rosé and white wine up 30 percent and 47 percent on Waitrose.com compared to the same time this year.
Jamie Matthewson, Wine Buying Manager at Waitrose, said customers usually love a chilled glass of rosé in the summer.
"It's a shame it has not had its moment in the sun this year, but it has been great for red wine, whether you want to enjoy a chilled summer red or want to hunker down and enjoy a Malbec or a Merlot personally, I love a glass of red whatever the season," said Matthewson.
Waitrose customers are prepared just in case the sun appears, opting for a red wine that can also be chilled, with sales of Santa Tresa Frappato up 86 percent yearly. An elegant Sicilian red full of delicious summer fruit flavours can be slightly chilled with grilled tuna. Cocktails are also on the menu, with searches for the red wine-based summer cocktail Sangria up 47 percent compared to last year on Waitrose.com.
For those who prefer a spirit as a tipple, the preference has been more for a warming autumnal drink. Sales of spiced rum, single malts and cognac are up. The old-fashioned season has also come early, with recipe searches for the classic cocktail up 292 percent on Waitrose.com compared to last year.
