A very interesting piece I found via Wine and Spirits Daily, written by Megan Haverkorn.
The stat I found most interesting is that almost 1/4 of wine consumers feel overwhelmed by all the wine options out there. While I agree that there are A LOT of options, shouldn’t the wine professionals be doing a better job of making wine & wine purchasing more approachable, fun and easy????
I don’t have much to add to the interesting report, so without further ado…
ARE YOU TRADITIONAL OR SAVVY?
Despite growing wine consumption in the U.S., consumers are reportedly still overwhelmed by wine and/or unwilling to branch out, according to Constellation’s “Home & Habits” study, the second phase of the company’s “Project Genome” study. With the use of Nielsen scan data and online interviews, “Home & Habits” found new insights into the six consumer segments: Enthusiasts, Image Seekers, Savvy Shoppers, Traditionalists, Satisfied Sippers and Overwhelmed. Constellation encourages the wine industry to pay more attention to the “overwhelmed” and “traditionalist” categories especially to ultimately increase their consumption and prompt them to try new brands and varietals.
OVERWHELMED. 23% of consumers fall in this category. Basically, they enjoy drinking wine but are overwhelmed by the huge selection on store shelves. They’d like to receive more help and information when shopping in the wine section at retail stores.
IMAGE SEEKERS. Consumers that view wine as a status symbol make up about 20% of all wine purchasers. They are generally still in the learning stages, and prefer merlot above all other varietals. The internet is their main source of learning about wine. As you can imagine, men and millennials make up the bulk of this category.
TRADITIONALISTS. About 16% of consumers enjoy wines from established wineries, are not as open to trying new brands, and believe wine is most appropriately used during a formal occasion.
SAVVY SHOPPERS. 15% of consumers are “savvy shoppers,” which means they enjoy discovering new wines and varietals on their own. They’re keen on specials, coupons and discounts. They are also more likely to buy a glass of the house wine when dining out to save a few bucks.
SATISFIED SIPPERS. These consumers (14%) do not know a lot about wine and are just fine drinking what they are familiar with. They tend to buy the same domestic brand and drink wine almost everyday. This consumer segment is also more likely to buy a large 1.5L bottle to save themselves a trip to the store. Wine pairings? Forget about it.
ENTHUSIASTS. 12% of consumers consider themselves knowledgeable about wine and enjoy entertaining at home. They tend to be in the middle to upper class and like browsing wine aisles and reading wine publications.
I attended a wine event this evening. It was a charitable event featuring Israeli wines – my passion as those of you who have been reading for a while know. I know one of the organizers and asked if he wanted my assistance. He was happy to have me & informed me that he planned the event with some other people who are connected to Israeli wines. I knew whom he was speaking of reached out to said people. I simply volunteered to step in, should a question arise, that my hands-on Israeli winery expertise qualified me to handle, possibly something the others were not prepared to respond to.
While my offer was originally politely declined, I felt it my duty both as WINE TASTING GUY and as ISRAELI WINE GUY to attend. And I was happy that i did. My enthusiasm for Israeli wines seemed to possess a magnetism of sorts. I spoke with many people throughout the evening about topics ranging from Israeli wines in general, to more specific Israeli boutique wineries, as well as the idea that wine from Israel is (and should be) Israeli wine and not kosher wine – as is often the misconception. I was proud to have felt like I made a difference in helping to educate people. And the feedback I received was tremendous.
I hope you will all excuse me for a quick yet important diversion. This is not a political BLOG, and as such I do not want to get into current events. That said a travesty took place in Israel today when 2 terrorists infiltrated a Jerusalem Yeshiva (school for Judaic studies) and opened fire – killing 8 and injuring scores of others. I am not sure what to say other than that my prayers and thoughts are with the families of those who lost loved ones or who have loved ones presently fighting for their lives.
It is very hard to write about something like wine (and to maintain focus on something such as wine) at a time like this. But they say that the way to fight terrorism is NOT to let it affect &/or change ones normal routine. As such I will get back to the topic at hand.
Moving on from the more difficult subject of terrorism, let me get back to something I feel much more comfortable discussing. WINE…
OK, so tonight’s topic is “wine expertise”. I bring this topic up as at tonight’s wine event I was given a name tag that labeled me as an “Israeli Wine Expert”. And I was astutely asked by several people what qualifications I posses to be labeled an “Israeli Wine Expert”. Forgetting about me for one second, what i would like to discuss is – what qualifies someone as an aficionado to discuss &/or educate others about wine (or anything for that matter). Is it drinking a lot of it? Is it the desire to be an “expert”. Is it schooling? Maybe it is “street smarts” or as the case may be “winery smarts” – knowledge obtained through hands on experience???
I do not know. I am merely an aspiring connoisseur. I can only speak for myself. And for me, short of attending one of the world renowned schools of oenology & viticulture, I received a degree from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, a certification in Wine Sensory Analysis from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, but MOST IMPORTANTLY (in my very humble opinion) – I rolled up my sleeves and worked 10, 12 & 14 hour days in vineyards and wineries both in Napa Valley & Israel. While I will readily admit that I am far from an “expert” I do feel that my passion and hard work has positioned me to address many of the questions that those who seek to learn more are interested in.
I wish you all happy wine tasting, drinking, learning & most importantly Peace & health!
Sadly soberly yours-WTG.
Quick wine deal…
I’ve never had this wine before but the 2004 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape apparently given a 91 by Wine Spectator & priced here at $30 seems to be a good deal for CDP lovers. It is sold elsewhere online for between $36.50-$45. So at $30, while I can not recommend it on the basis of having tried it, I can tell you that it is priced right…
Happy wine bargain hunting!
WTG
Well, I had hoped to follow up my very positive Alto Adige tasting with a successful Gambero Rosso tasting. It was recommended by an industry contact so although I am quite busy I made the trip crosstown to try and taste through some wines. And then I was hit with IT – the PRETENTIOUS people. At the door I was told that without an invite I would have to wait a while. I assured this person that I was a member of the trade and hoped to both recommend some of their wines to clients as well as to write up standout wines for my blog readers. “Sorry, you are going to have to wait & those with an invite will be admitted before you”. I was out of there faster than you can say “VINO”.
As much as I want to BLAST them (yes, I’m pissed) I will simply state that this was their loss. Restaurants & wine bars that might otherwise have been exposed to their products will NOT be. And you, my readers will not have the opportunity to hear about their wines.
A WORD TO THE WISE, anyone considering attending one of their events should know ahead of time that unless you are sent an invitation there WILL BE A WAIT – at least in NYC. If you are one of those who believes that it is not worth waiting behind the “velvet rope” then you might want to think twice about attending this event in the future.
If there is any follow up to this sad & negative story I promise to post, but in the meantime all I can say is I will be drinking, recommending & writing (about) less Italian wines as a result of this slight.
Happy everything BUT Italian wine drinking…
WTG
