What Makes Wine Relevant Today?

How does a new generation of winegrowers view a market in which quality alone is no longer enough to stand out? What roles do branding, export and direct customer relationships play? And where do they see new opportunities for growth?

In the new ProWein Visionary Talk, four rising stars from the wine industry share their perspectives on questions that go far beyond production – and concern the entire sector. They have taken on responsibility in challenging times – and they are looking ahead.

Four voices. Four big questions about the future.

What matters to the new generation of winegrowers matters to the entire industry. The ProWein Business Report 2026 confirms this: more than 1,000 industry experts from over 30 countries shared their perspectives.

Their responses reveal fundamental shifts in the market. We have distilled them into four key propositions – and put them to the next generation in the Visionary Talk:

“Strong brands benefit in a crisis. The middle ground gets squeezed out.”
What does brand strength mean today – and how do you build a distinctive profile that stays relevant in the market?

“Export is no longer about expansion – it’s about risk management.”
How important is the strategic diversification of markets and distribution channels becoming?

“Direct customer relationships beat distribution.”
What role do personal relationships play – and how is the dynamic between producers, the trade and customers changing?

“Growth no longer comes from volume – it comes from relevance.”
How do you create visibility and desirability when volume alone is no longer the answer?