How do you get young people to drink wine with their dinner? That is one of the questions the American wine industry is grappling with. Young people today in the United States prefer spirits over wine. Similar trends can be seen in some European countries. To some extent, it is about the wine having lost its significance as a dinner beverage. Combining food with classic European food is out of date and nothing that young wine consumers are interested in, says market analyst Jon Moramarco.
At the same time, the consumers who actually appreciate drinking wine with their dinner are getting older. Winemakers and marketers now face the challenge to continue to attract both these more senior people but also find out what the younger ones really want. Moramarco wants to make the connection between wine and dinner stronger. I agree with that, wine belongs on the dinner table. And you can drink wine with many other things than the classic French and Italian.
So it shouldn’t be a hard sell, should it?
Read more: WineBusiness
Read also, on BKWine Magazine, a more thorough analysis of the US wine market: The US wine industry faces big challenges.
One Response
This is such an easy answer, but so totally overlooked. Wine in many European countries is viewed as a natural companion to food. In the same way that seasonings, or sauces are thought of as flavor enhancers to dishes. It is a cultural concept. The answer is media campaigns focusing on the IDEA of food and wine pairing to enhance the FOOD experience. In the U.S., the younger generations view wine more as a “cocktail” to be drunk by itself. With this viewpoint, wine is a poor value compared to Beer, Cider, Hard Seltzers and Spirits. It is all a matter of changing perceptions…