IN 2011 CONSUMPTION OF TABLE WINE IN THE U.S. GREW- MORE THAN 291 MILLION CASES OF WINE CONSUMED, SAYS WINE MARKET COUNCIL. AND MEANWHILE IT DISCOVERS “MILLENIALS”, THE HOPE FOR A NEW BOOM IN CONSUMPTION, ARE NOT ALL THE SAME …

The consumption of table wine in 2011 in the U.S. grew, with over 291 million cases consumed: the tendency is confirmed by Wine Market Council study that traced a profile of American consumers. There are 47 million adults who drink wine daily or several times a week and together with the 34 million occasional drinkers, make a total of 81 million consumers in the U.S., for the most part, men.

But only 23% buy high-end wines (just under 9 million people), a minority that however represents 90% of over $20 purchases. And the most popular wines cost between $9 and $12 on the shelf. “While we continue to enjoy the growth of consumption of wine, also per capita, the signals of a difficult economic situation in the USA continue,” said John Gillespie, president of the Wine Market Council.

According to the survey, 51% of all consumers are afraid of not being able to maintain their standard of living over the next 12 months, and 72% think that the economic situation will get worse. This has not however prevented the growth of wine consumption, although in the long run, according to Gillespie, things could change.



Focus - The “Millennial Generation”

It’s the “Millennial Generation”, people between 18 and 35 years old, that should guide the new boom in wine consumption in the United States. And that gives hope even to Italian wine, which is more linked to exports and the States is its top foreign market but it is also leader in volume and value. A more careful look at the Millennial Wine Market Council report shows: “we have to begin considering them not as an homogenous group but as two halves,” the president John Gillespie told the famous “Wine Enthusiast” magazine.
“The older group, Millienials “over 25” and the mini-Millennials (18 - 25). Only half of the younger Millennials drink wine every day, or several times a week, while 65% of the “older” drink wine every day and drink high quality and fine wines. One of the reasons why the “youngsters” drink less is because, again, they think of wine as something for special occasions. Two “older” Millennials out of three often buy a wine that have never seen or heard of before; they are not loyal to a brand”. What connects all Millennials though is their on-line activity, visiting sites about wine and social medias like Twitter and Facebook.