The consumption of “small fresh white wine” now appeals more to the French than that of red wine.

It’s 6 p.m., the bricks of the Ville Rose are gleaming under the Toulouse sun and the summer guinguettes on the Quai de la Daurade are filling up before our eyes. Students, office colleagues, holidaymakers, all take a seat on the terrace to cool off on the banks of the Garonne and enjoy the breathtaking view of the orange dome of the Saint-Joseph de la Grave chapel. A waiter approaches Coline and her friends’ table. “As usual, three glasses of Chardonnay, please!” The group of friends leaves no room for doubt, their order has not changed from the summer: on the terrace, we drink white. “A glass of fresh, dry and fruity wine, that’s our ritual,” explains the 23-year-old. Why white? Because wine is cultural in the region – red especially, we are in the South-West after all! But, for an aperitif, white is more refreshing. I associate it with sunshine, friends, and relaxing moments on a terrace.” The student and her friends’ reflexes illustrate the dynamics of chardonnays, rieslings and other sauvignons in France. Whether they have a straw yellow, golden or amber color, white wines have been enjoying growing success for decades. So much so that in 2024, a symbolic threshold was crossed: with 58% of volumes, sales of white and rosé wines now exceed those of red in France. A first in history! The consumption of wine by the glass, at any time, contributes to this success. Just like the destructuring of meals and the development of aperitif dinners, notes a study by France Agrimer and the interprofessional organization of appellation wines (Cniv).

Between health and pleasure

“Daily wine is dying, replaced by occasional wine,” says Martin Cubertafond, a consultant in strategy for the wine and champagne market and lecturer at Sciences Po Paris. A deep-rooted trend that began in the last century. Until the middle of the 20th century, red wine was considered “an integral part of the meal, just like bread.” In the countryside as in the city, the table scene was traditionally organized around a meat dish – often in sauce – followed by a cheese platter, all accompanied by a bottle of red wine to stimulate the palate of everyone, children and parents alike. Wine consumption among the French then fell by almost 70%, from more than 120 liters per year per capita in 1960 to less than 40 liters in 2020. This decline is the result of changing eating habits in the country, but also of public health policies initiated, of which red wine was the first victim. “Imagine that in 1950, some advertisements advised young mothers to give their children red wine if they lacked protein to feed them,” recalls Martin Cubertafond. Another era! In 1956, then Minister of State, Pierre Mendès-France was the first political leader to tackle wine consumption among young people, particularly at school. That year, a circular banned alcohol in school canteens for children under 14. It was not until 1981, under the government of François Mitterrand, that wine completely disappeared from high school cafeterias.

“Nowadays, consumers think more in terms of ‘occasions’ to open a bottle: aperitifs, evenings with friends, birthdays or afternoons around the pool (a representation that came from the United States), observes the professor at Sciences Po Paris. So many moments less linked to food, where white wine attracts with its freshness, whether you are a novice or an expert.” Behind his wooden counter, in the city center of Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze), Pierre-Alexandre Bodiguel, the manager of the Cave du pic-vert, talks all year long with his customers, regular or occasional. After eight years of experience in this shopping street, his observation is clear: “People want to drink less but better.” The sommelier explains: “Very often, customers associate lightness with white and power with red, they want wines that are less tannic and less strong in alcohol. “A trend reinforced by the obvious “feminization” of his clientele who, according to him, have a greater appetite for white grape varieties such as Alsace Rieslings or Anjou Chenins. The favorite grape variety of the French remains Chardonnay and its golden white color which appeals more to the palates of women. 1.

Vineyards to be renewed

Since opening in 2016, the wine merchant estimates that it has sold “at least 30%” more white wine. A trend that is all the more significant since its cellar is located in the South-West, a land of red wine historically linked to Bordeaux. On the other hand, whites are in short supply and nurserymen’s order books are getting longer. One hundred kilometers south of Brive, on the hillsides of Quercy, an appellation halfway between Cahors (Lot) and Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne), the vines of Domaine de Lafage have been welcoming new bunches of grapes since 2020. Sauvignon gris, sémillon, ugni blanc, these white berries are unusual in this terroir where malbec, a red and tannic grape variety, has been king for centuries. “Demand comes from everywhere: private customers, wine merchants, commercials but also importers,” explains Kévin Barbet, a winemaker in the region for ten years. In fact, the French vineyard, the world’s leading producer in 2023, presents an imbalance: three quarters of its production are still wines – non-sparkling – and among them, 55% are red, 26% white and 19% rosé. 2.

“White is a gateway, tasting it seems more accessible and allows beginners to discover the flavors offered by the world of wine.” In a context of global alcohol consumption reduction, the attraction of customers for white offers an opportunity in the eyes of the 34-year-old winemaker. “This year, my sales of white compensate for the drop in those of red. In the long term, the idea would be to be fifty-fifty on the estate.” Based in the South-West, a region that he identifies as a “white desert”, Kévin Barbet is positioning himself in a commercial niche that is just waiting to be invested. That of the “small, fresh white, well-crafted, with identity and which sells for between 10 and 15 euros, that’s what wine lovers are looking for today”, observes Pierre-Alexandre Bodiguel. In fact, price remains the primary criterion for purchasing a bottle of wine for nearly one in two French people, ahead of the region of origin. And 55% of them set their budget between 11 and 20 euros. 1 . “For our evenings with friends, when we buy a bottle of white wine, we spend between 10 and 20 euros,” confirms Coline, the student.

New traditions

In the summer, on the sloping lawns of the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Parisians are legion lying on the grass for picnics. With a few tapenades and charcuterie to nibble on, Samia and Julien toast, glass of white wine in hand. A sommelier would probably have recommended a red wine to satisfy the food and wine pairing. No matter. “Pleasure” takes precedence for the two thirty-somethings, “tradition will wait”, Samia quips. It is this “uninhibited” consumption because it is “freed from the codes of tasting” which, according to Damien Leclerc, the director of the Burgundy cooperative winery La Chablisienne, explains the success of white wine. Enough to reconcile the new generation with its winemakers?

* Reminder: alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.

1) Sowine Barometer 2023.

2) Cniv figures, 2019.