Weaving wine and whisky

Wine routes are well-established. But in many cases where there's wine, there's whisky - or at least a strong association with whisky. So, my most recent trip to France, which took me to some of the finest vineyards in the country, ended up being soaked in whisky and a reminder of how interwoven the wine and spirits business really is.

France has had a long love affair with Scotch Whisky. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, France was the export destination of 176 million bottles of whisky in 2021, making it the largest export destination by volume - and the second largest globally by value. So, it should come as little surprise that while wine is the nation's staple (and the third largest wine producer globally), whisky and spirits have a close affinity - especially in cognac.

Yet, while it may be tempting to focus on their shared character as alcoholic beverages, it's really the wood that creates the bond across the sectors. Many wine and cognac barrels can add great, complex flavours to whiskies. So, while it was tempting to stagger our way from vineyard to vineyard along the roads of the likes of Sauternes and Saint Emilion, it was also an opportunity to sample French oak barrels and our heads were firmly into nosing potential wood stock. Barrel brokers and barrel makers are part and parcel of the wine and spirits trade in this part of the world, bringing benefits and value to both sectors.

Here was an opportunity to meet and discuss distributors, brokers, industry leaders and those with a passion for wine and spirits. The talk was about wine, cognac and other spirits; which categories were up, and which had potential; and where the crossovers were taking place. Where whisky had led, with the increased value, cognac was following swiftly behind. While some wines had maybe gone out of fashion, there was real additional value in their wood, which in turn could help re-investment in the wine trade. Wine makers were experimenting with their own whiskies and spirits. These interplays, just like the French oak barrels themselves, are likely to become increasingly important.

What it reminded me was that it's easy to segment markets and think of wine and spirits as operating in separate worlds, when they are actually often woven together. And after some nice wine, surely there's nothing better than a good dram to round the evening off?