Are wine lovers about to see supermarket choice shrink?

T he spectre of less choice for wine drinkers in the future was raised this week by the head wine buyer at leading merchants Bibendum.

According to Andy Shaw, supermarkets will come under greater pressure to justify the amount of shelf space given to wine because of price and supply concerns.

And he's predicting it will lead to a slight drop (4 per cent) in actual consumption over the next four years. Only sparkling wine sales will increase, he predicts, but this still only represents less than a tenth of the market. Repeated duty tax rises and tightening global wine supplies are making it tougher to sell wine profitably at low price points, he claims.

Last year, tax pushed the average bottle price above £5 in the UK for the first time and, as a result, he predicts supermarkets will start to reduce the amount of space given over to wine selections. "There'd have to be a very good reason not to reduce the amount of space dedicated to beer, wine and spirits," he was reported as saying.

"If it comes down to straight finance, beer, wine and spirits is a margin-diluting category for multiple retailers. I would subjectively forecast that we'll see a reduction in space; that's if we don't see legislation that says wine has to be at the back of stores, or behind bars, or in a separate shop completely."

Shorter supermarket wine aisles may boost "proper wine shops with trained staff, selling more premium products on a more genuine value message," Shaw said. Bibendum, which supplies myriad restaurants, independent retailers and some supermarket stores, is investing in a smarter approach to wine sales, via a consumer profiling system called Prospects.

"We've analysed the demographic profile of the UK," Shaw said. "If you wanted to set up in Carlisle, we can tell you how many customers would buy a £15 shiraz in Carlisle."

Meanwhile, there appears no shortage of choice of quality wines at official Government functions, according to figures just released by the Foreign Office. Thousand-pound bottles of Domaine de la Romanee Conti, as well as Chateau Margaux, Cheval Blanc, Cos d'Estournel and other fine wines were served last year at official functions, according to a statement.

A detailed list of wines used, released to Decanter.com, shows guests' thirst for top-end bordeaux and burgundy.

Among high-end wines opened at official dinners were 23 bottles of Chateau Margaux 1982, priced at £700 per bottle, and 25 bottles of Margaux 1986, priced at £388 each.

Guests also drank 64 bottles of Cos D'Estournel 1989, around £250 each, five bottles of Cheval Blanc 1983, currently selling at between £356 and £440, plus three bottles of Angelus 1989, costing £250 each.

Where: Morrisons.

When: Now, until March 10.

Why: Boasts rich blackberry, plum and cherry flavours. Serve this upmarket red with a fancy lamb dish, or even just the finest Camembert you can get your hands on.

£14.99 (was £18.99)

Where: Tesco.

When: Now, until March 26.

Why: 100 per cent chardonnay, of course. Elegant and crisp, with notes of peachy fruit and a zingy lemon character, the result is a wine of great purity and freshness.

£7.99 (was £11.99)

Where: Tesco.

When: Now, until March 26.

Why: Typical but excellent New Zealand sauvignon from the Marlborough region, so lots of distinctive gooseberry and nettle characteristics.

£7.99 (was £11.99)

Where: Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op.

When: Now.

Why: I was able to taste a few Gallo wines this week and enjoyed this food-friendly red with rich aromas and flavours of dark cherry. Great choice with Mediterranean dishes and grilled meat.

£6.79