(Winemag) - From emerging wine regions to canned wines taking off, here are the top trends and news stories that most impacted the industry in 2018.

A lot can change in a year, and that’s certainly true for the world of wine. Before we see everything that 2019 brings, let’s take a look at essential trends that shaped the industry this past year.

1. An increase in attention on women in the industry and female consumers

Following an explosive national conversation and movements like #MeToo, discussions of industry women’s challenges in the wine space became prevalent this year, as did more inclusive reporting on female producers, executives and wine personalities. Major wine, spirits and beer companies took note, implementing on-site gender equality and harassment training, women’s mentoring groups and ramping up research on female consumers. Not surprisingly, products benefitting women’s initiatives and charities (such as emBRAZEN, Nasty Woman Wines) were also on the rise.