FRESH, SOFT AND EASY TO DRINK WHITES; RICH AND DRINKABLE REDS, FAVORITE VARIETIES ARE MERLOT AND CHARDONNAY: THE TASTES OF US WINE LOVERS IN THE WINE INTELLIGENCE REPORT “FLAVOR AND VARIETAL PREFERENCE IN THE US WINE MARKET”

The US market is the world reference point for wine consumption and trade, thanks to its great economic stability and a solid base of wine lovers and regular drinkers, despite a slightly slower growth in recent years. Which flavors and varieties guide overseas palates? The latest Wine Intelligence (www.wineintelligence.com) report, "Flavor and Varietal Preference in the US Wine Market" reveals the growing importance aromatic descriptors have on the choice of a bottle of wine. The limited tasting notes, often on the back label, have the potential ability to attract or dissuade the consumer.
In order to understand which descriptors guide the tastes of wine lovers, Wine Intelligence has identified two groups: "style" and "flavor". Regarding white wines, descriptors that have greater appeal on the US market are easy drinkability, freshness and softness, which are rarely considered inadequate in white wines, while in terms of flavor, the preference goes to descriptors that best represent sweetness and fruit, such as apple, peach and tropical fruit. Shifting our attention instead to red wines, US consumers prefer descriptors of more harmonious features, such as soft drinkability, and more classic indicators, like full-bodied and rich.
Regarding flavors, fruit descriptors, even in this case, are considered more attractive than those related to herbaceous or sapid scents. Finally, the favorite varieties: Chardonnay above all for whites and Merlot for reds.
Women are often attracted to Moscato and red wines, which, instead, cross both genres.