Younger, multicultural consumers don’t feel like they are part of the wine “club” and, based on new market research from Wine Market Council, they don’t want to join if it stays the same.   Wine Market Council partnered with Ethnifacts, a demographic-focused research group, to conduct a two-part study on younger and multicultural consumers, the area of research most requested by WMC members, according to President Liz Thach.

The first portion of the survey focused on a ‘shop-along’ with 27 young adult/multicultural shoppers, who were asked to document their purchasing decisions in the on- and off-premise channels.  The resonating theme amongst these shoppers? Wine is too complicated.

“A lot of them feel like wine is a club and they’re not invited,” CEO of Ethnifacts Mike Lakusta said. “We imprint how you should drink wine, but people want to drink wine on their own terms.”

Throughout a Sept. 19 webinar, Lakusta urged the wine industry to be more creative, improve diverse representation and simplify wine for entry-level consumers. According to him, the industry has solely focused on shifting existing wine consumers to high-priced bottles for too long and forgotten about novice wine drinkers.

Provide Clarity in the Wine Aisle

Even with all the options available in the wine aisle, many younger shoppers are hesitant to venture outside of their comfort zones. Lakusta said only three shoppers went through the entire wine section—and only after prompting from the shop along moderators. Shoppers typically went straight to their preferred wine type but, with the right cues, wine sellers can help them feel confident in trying something new.

Many retailers already organize their wine aisle by region or grape, but more information should be provided to guide buyers who aren’t well-versed in the world of wine. One of the biggest issues, Lakusta said, is that winemakers and retailers continue advertising wine using terms and descriptors that don’t resonate with modern consumers. “No one in this age group knows what a currant is,” he said. “We need to use descriptors that make sense to them.”

One participant found a “Simplified Reds” sign in his local grocery store which explained what he could expect from different red wine varieties, and he said he really appreciated the clarification. Others suggested the use of QR codes to provide more information without cluttering the label or shelf. One respondent said she typically reaches for staff picks in the wine aisle, as a professional recommendation “cuts through the noise.”

The general noise of the wine aisle was a recurring response, with multiple respondents reporting that the sheer number of offerings in the wine aisle was overwhelming and, in some cases, deterred them from purchasing wine, instead opting for more familiar or transparent options, like beer and seltzer.

“I think they could probably have a little less selection, because it’s too hard,” one female participant said, adding that this is why she typically sticks to beer. “It can bombard a person if they don’t know what they’re looking for.”

When shopping for wine in a grocery or liquor store, price was a key factor in purchasing decisions.  Certain occasions, like a special dinner or a birthday gift, would warrant spending a little more on a bottle, but the majority of shoppers reached for bottles priced between $10 and $15. One participant said her weekly wine budget depends heavily on what else she has to buy that week and will typically aim for $10 if money is tight. Other respondents didn’t understand the point of spending more money on a bottle if it was for a weeknight dinner or casual kick-back with friends.

Opinions varied on what type of artwork was most appealing, with some opting for bright, modern illustrations, while others saw classic, European artwork as a sign of value. One participant compared a wine label to the spine of a book at a library. “It will draw my attention—I’ll pull the book down and read the blurb—but not make me choose it.”

This is where winemakers come in, Lakusta said, to include pertinent information and use terminology that is palatable to the average consumer. Wine jargon is also discouraged, as it can confuse the buyer. Participants said they appreciated the use of the sweetness scale used by the International Riesling Foundation, and Lakusta said visual cues like this should be used for other descriptors for other styles of wine.

When the bottle cannot provide enough information, Lakusta suggested retailers host on-premise tasting samples, perhaps paired with a recipe card for a food pairing or an interesting wine cocktail.  Lakusta also recommended integrating wine displays into other parts of the store, such as with a display of ingredients for a wine-featured recipe. This provides real-life context for how consumers can regularly enjoy wine and can get the “gears moving” for how they can pair wine with other foods. 

Get Creative with Wine Lists

When one participant went out for dinner at a restaurant, she said she was disappointed with how limited and uninteresting the wine section looked in comparison to the cocktail section.  She shared photos of the menu, which had eye-catching photos of a pink blended cocktail, while the wine list has no photos or descriptions and were just separated into white and red.

“The wines have zero distinction, and (these cocktail descriptions) go into the flavor and idea of texture.” As for the wine section, she said “it’s not exciting and it feels almost forgotten on the menu.”

One of the survey questions asked them when they felt wine was not an appropriate beverage choice, and the top response was that wine wasn’t the right choice when dining out or grabbing drinks and had to make a quick decision. Respondents said they didn’t feel like they knew enough about wines and menus rarely gave context clues, so they would rather go with a beer or a cocktail—something they felt confident in ordering.

 Lakusta said the industry needs to advocate for better representation of their products in on-premise venues to better compete with the bright colors and descriptors of the beer and cocktail sections. One could even take inspiration from these other sections, he said, to create an enticing and informative wine list.

“On-premise was a huge issue,” Lakusta said. “Why can’t we do more creative things?  Why can’t we demand more creative menus?”

Wine menus should include the brand, region, ABV, vintage and a descriptor, Lakusta said, but it can also incorporate more features to better describe the wine to the customer. With a wine list that has only a few options, restaurants can use fun images and descriptive language, as well as food pairings, to entice drinkers. When the wine list is longer and warrants dividing options into sections, Lakusta suggested sorting not only according to color, but also by style or intensity. 

The need to make a quick decision did deter drinkers from wine, but in other cases, it’s just a matter of the “vibe”, Lakusta said. 

In high-energy atmospheres, like at a dance club or pregaming for a night out, wine typically wasn’t the first choice; respondents preferred spirits and drinks that would provide “more effect.” However, there is still an opportunity to draw in consumers with other wine-oriented events. 

Wine is typically associated with relaxation, food, and spending time with friends, Lakusta said, and can lean into this by providing more opportunities for consumers to combine wine with these elements in the on-premise setting.

One consumer suggested pairing wine with fun activities to give an activity that goes along with the wine. “They need to do more wine and ‘something’ events to bring people out of their house,” she said. 

Lakusta gave examples of potential wine-paired events from across the country, which included everything from trivia nights and region-specific food pairings to murder mystery parties and candle making. 

“Wine needs to be fun again,” Lakusta said.  “We need to give them a reason to drink wine.”