New research suggests wine vs. beer thinking outdated

(NBBJ) - Marketers of wine should be prepared for the full arrival of “Millennial” generation consumers at drinking age in the next two years, surging adoption of Internet retail sales and increasing understanding of “core” consumers as imbibers of fine beer and spirits as well as wine, according to a major tracker of wine consumer trends.

Rather than trying to dissuade consumers from brews and stiff drinks, the wine industry may want to tap into an emerging trend in research that suggests “polymorphous” preference among the core audience for higher-end alcoholic beverages, according to John Gillespie, principal of St. Helena-based consumer-research firm Wine Opinions and president of Wine Market Council.

“There may be a what I’m starting to call a ‘convergence consumer’ who looks for increasing degrees of complexity, rarity and quality, and understands the importance of methods of production and provenance,” he said.

Early this month, Wine Market Council launched more focused version of its annual Wine Consumer Tracking Study, zeroing in on “high-frequency” wine drinkers, who tip the glass at least weekly. Estimates say they represent about 35 percent of wine consumers but buy more than 85 percent of fine wine.

Results from the new Wine Market Council study are set to be presented at The Vintners Inn north of Santa Rosa on Jan. 31 (winemarketcouncil.com/conference). The effort is following up on surprising results from a recent Wine Opinions survey of 1,151 high-frequency consumers.