Although declining in numbers, cooperatives still represent around half of the wine production of France, Italy, and Spain, plus a third of Germany’s. Their contribution to their local communities can hardly be overstated.

It is fair to say, however, that they have never really been associated with fine wine production, and that generations of both consumers and trade have grown up associating cooperatives wines with cheap mass production.

Yet in the last couple of decades, leading wine cooperatives have transformed themselves, and are now producing high quality wine. At the same time, a younger generation of consumers are developing an interest in cooperatives, drawn by their community ethos.

Are cooperatives the next big thing for fine wine?

This podcast is a recording of an ARENI Insight Series of 10th of May 2022, gathering Brendan Carter, Chief Thinker, Winemaker & Distiller – Team Unico in Australia, Christian Holthausen, Founder, Westbrook Marketing Partners inFrance, Master of Wine Roman Horvath, Winery Director, Domäne Wachau, Austria and Phillipe Leveau, CEO, Cordier by Invivo, France.