Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/45785
MANAGEMENT Millennials Talk Back The new generation of wine industry players sets the record straight By Tina Caputo, editor-in-chief here's been a lot of discus- sion in the wine industry over the last few years about how to reach adult Millennials (loose- ly defined as those age 35 and younger). Who are they? What are they drinking? How do they decide which wines to buy? Some say that Millennials get all their wine information from popular bloggers, while others insist that recommendations from friends – shared via social networking sites like Facebook – have the most influ- ence. One thing that's not being debat- ed is the importance of this genera- tion to the wine industry. In January 2011, the Wine Market Council pre- sented the results of its annual Con- sumer Tracking Study. It found that 6% of Millennial adults are drinking wine every day, and 26% drink it several times a week. With 70 mil- lion people making up this demo- graphic, that's a lot of potential. 94 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT NOV - DEC 2011 In an effort to learn more about the wine preferences of Millenni- als, the NextGen Wine Competi- tion – hosted by Vineyard & Winery Management in early August – assembled 18 wine industry profes- sionals under age 36 to sample and AT A GLANCE Adults under age 36 represent important sales potential for the wine industry. The NextGen wine competition brought together an all-Millennial group of wine professionals as judges. Interviews with the judges revealed two recurring themes: Millennials like trying new and different wines, and they want to connect with producers on a per- sonal level. evaluate more than 750 wines from all over the world. "Our purpose is to bring to light what the industry needs to focus on in order to appeal to this gen- eration," said NextGen chairman Giovanni Balistreri, a Russian River Valley-based winemaker who is also a Millennial. "What do they want to drink, and what are they buying?" The competition also presented an opportunity for V&WM to talk to some of the judges in detail about their generation's relationship with wine. A NEW LANDSCAPE For Shauna Rosenblum, 28-year- old winemaker for Rock Wall Wine Co. in Alameda, Calif., wine wasn't something she discovered as an adult – she was born into the indus- try. Rosenblum is the daughter of Kent Rosenblum, founder of Rosen- WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM