What wines do Americans prefer, how much are they willing to pay for it, and what are their general views about wine?
YouGov, a British market research and data analytics firm, recently surveyed 1,117 U.S. adults to gain insights. Their results are very detailed; we will give a simpler-to-digest overview. There is a plus/minus four precent margin of error. YouGov’s research gives you a ballpark idea.
Some 73% said they loved or liked white wine; 72% said the same about red wine. Rosé scored 66% in the love-like category; 63% said the same about sparkling.
Gender preferences is a slightly different question. When asked what type of wine they prefer, 56% of males and 44% of females said they preferred red, while 42% of females preferred white in contrast to only 30% of males. Roughly 14% of both sexes either did not have a preference or were not sure.
Health warnings about wine have been in the news recently. Americans apparently are not all that concerned. Some 40% asserted wine is beneficial to your health, 23% said it has no effect, and 27% were not sure. Only 11% believed wine is detrimental to health.
When asked how much you typically pay for a bottle of wine, a whopping 45% said between $11 and $20. The number goes to 65% for the $11-$40 range. Price matters. A landslide 89% said price was very important or somewhat important.
When asked if they thought they could tell the difference between a $10 bottle and a $100 bottle in a blind tasting of the same varietal, 35% said they definitely could or probably could, while 65% thought they probably could not, definitely could not, or were unsure.
When asked how often they drank wine—a question where people often low-ball their answer—only 2% said they drank wine daily. Some 11% said a few times a week or once a week; 24% said only on special occasions, and the largest cohort—38%—said they never drink wine, although they may drink other alcoholic beverages.
Tasting notes
• Familia Traversa Sauvignon Blanc, Uruguay 2022: Intriguing tension between hints of sweetness and salinity. Very refreshing. Versatile. $9-14 Link to my review
• Famiglia Pasqua 11 Minutes Odi Et Amo Rosé Trevenezie 2022: Crisp light delight. Strawberries, citrus in an engaging bottle. $16-18 Link to my review
• Hahn Family Wines Appellation Series GSM, Arroyo Seco 2021: Classic GSM built to be an amiable palate pleaser. $18-23 Link to my review
Last round: Why do I waste energy saying “it is what it is” to someone who has no idea what it is? Wine time.