5 ways how young drinkers are driving wine trends

While Baby Boomers and Generation Xers make up the majority of today’s consumers of wine, the large millennial generation ( ages 21 -34) will shape wine’s future.Millennials, now the largest segment of wine drinkers, drink more wine than any other generation.

Value for money

Millennials, whose budgets are more limited than baby boomers, don’t show off by bringing the most expensive bottle of wine to a party. Rather than throwing money at the problem, they rely on the resources at hand 9 a producer website or a wine shop consultant) to select value-focused wines crafted from unique grape varietals in reputable regions.

Sweeter tastes 

Millennials prefer wines with less tannin and more sugar and are developing a taste for sparkling sweet wines. Moscato leads the pack with sales of Italian imports increasing by almost 27%, according to Nielsen ratings. Now producers are adding sweet, sparkling wines to their lineups. This trend continues in South Africa with sales of off-dry and semi-sweet sparklers, rosès and red wines grown in the wine market share.

Information is always at hand

Thanks to the internet, wine lovers have all the information at their disposal. They can watch a YouTube video or connect with a winemaker on Twitter.  APPS  like Wine23 and Platters, allow users to learn about specific wines and keep track of the ones they like. They can buy wine from online shops. Savvy producers know it is import to have a social media presence if they hope to grab the attention of Millennials, who are also likely to share information about a wine or a winemaker they like.

Knowledge is power

Whether it’s grape variety or a compelling story behind a winemaker or region, Millennials want to learn, so marketers are providing more information about exactly what’s in the bottle. Millennials also love to share information, which makes them an even more appealing demographic.

Critics losing their power

 Millennials are adventurous. They’re more likely to rely on the opinion of a friend or a peer rather than a critic they’ve never met. They are also more willing to do the legwork to decide whether they like a particular wine. Social media also allow millennials to share online conversations about wine.