Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/620640
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m J a n - F e b 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 1 2 5 als do not spend as much on wine as Older Millennials. The Swing Generation was not represented in the analysis because the number of respondents from this age group who completed the survey was not sufficient. CONSUMPTION FREQUENCY The survey results showed that Boomers (41%) and Older Mil- lennials (43%) drink wine more often, but Older Millennials actually scored significantly higher than the other groups in terms of drinking wine on a daily basis. This suggests that Older Millennials are an impor- tant segment for wineries to target, especially as Boomers continue to age and may not be able to drink as much wine in the future due to health reasons. WINE PREFERENCES Respondents were asked about their favorite wine styles, and encouraged to check as many answers as they liked. Red wine was preferred by all four cohorts, ranging from 71% with Young Mil- lennials to a high of 77% with Older Millennials and Boomers. There were no significant differences among generations regarding red wine, and the most-preferred red varietals were Merlot, Pinot Noir a n d C a b e r n e t S a u v i g n o n ( s e e graph, top right). Despite an agreement on red wine, significant differences were found for all other wine styles, with both Older and Younger Mil- WINE KNOWLEDGE When asked to rate their wine knowledge, more than half of the respondents reported they were at the intermediate level, mean- lennials preferring white, rosé, and sparkling wines far more than Gen Xers and Boomers do. Older Millennials also preferred fortified wines more than the other three cohorts did. In terms of dessert wines, Boomers scored signifi- cantly lower than the other three cohorts in preferring sweet wines. This preference for dry wines o n t h e p a r t o f B o o m e r s a l s o appeared in a question regard- ing wine taste preferences. Here, Boomers scored highest in pre- ferring dry wines, whereas both Yo u n g e r a n d O l d e r M i l l e n n i a l s scored significantly higher in pre- ferring sweet and fruity wines, compared to Gen Xers and Boom- ers. This supports other research showing that as wine consumers age, they gradually begin to prefer drier wines. Percentage of Generations Preferring Wine Styles FREQUENCY OF WINE CONSUMPTION BY GENERATION Generation Daily Several Times Per Week Occasional (Once a week or less often) Younger Millennial 12% 39% 49% Older Millennial 22% 43% 35% Gen Xer 16% 39% 45% Boomer 13% 41% 46%