The Grapevine

Young and Sweet – Catering to Millennials and Their Growing Taste for Wine

January 6th, 2016

Millennials are, as a generation, just beginning to discover wine. Their tastes are different than Baby Boomers so it’s worth noting what attracts them. [level-members](Even though the Boomers still account for more than half of the wine market.)

As the title hints at, the young prefer sweeter wines. According to a recent MarketWatch article, varietals like Moscato and labels like Apothic and Barefoot do very well with this demographic.

They’re also a bit more adventurous – or at least, less tradition-bound – when it comes to packaging. Boxed wine is AOK with the younger set, at least in part because they do not have the negative memories we older folks associate with the bad boxed wine of the past. (There’s some pretty fantastic boxed wine out there right now!)

And as we’ve discussed in the past, Millennials are suckers for a good story. They value authenticity, though there’s some evidence that a strong marketing message can prey upon that preference even for products that aren’t really “authentic.” (Or, as we’ve heard it put, “the key to life is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”)

Since Millennials make up the largest generation in history, you’d be smart not to ignore them, though you do have to be aware of your audience – what appeals to consumers of one generation may very well not appeal to similar consumers (in terms of price point, sophistication, etc.) of another generation.

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