What a Survey Said About Millennial Wine Consumption

A market research service recently conducted a survey focusing on the wine, beer and liquor consumption habits of people under 40.

LDA Opinions, a market research service of Wine Opinions LLC, surveyed 1,578 frequent beverage alcohol consumers (defined as people who drink at least two to three times per month). The study included 983 consumers age 21-39 and 576 people between 40-59 for comparative analysis.

According to the survey, wine consumption is on the rise in people under 40, which Wine Opinions founder and CEO John Gillespie said represented an important demographic to learn more about.

“Every category of the beverage alcohol market – beer, wine, and spirits – is being shaped by the choices of legal drinking age adults under 40,” Gillespie said. “LDA Opinions provides insights on the perceptions, motivations, choices, and usage occasions of frequent beverage alcohol consumers in their 20s and 30s, and we have the expertise to gather, interpret, and deliver actionable market intelligence to our clients.”

Survey respondents in their 30s reported a net 2% increase over the past 12 months in their consumption frequency of beer, and a net 1% decline in their consumption of spirits. But their frequency of wine consumption rose by a net 8%.

Other findings from the study included:

• Nearly identical percentages of frequent beverage alcohol consumers in their 20s and 30s have purchased or consumed vodka in the past 6 months (76% of both groups) and tequila (70% of those in their 20s and 71% of those in their 30s).  But bourbon purchase/consumption skews to those in their 30s (60%, vs. 52% of those in their 20s) while purchase/consumption of gin skews to the younger segment (48% of those in their 20s, vs. 36% of those in their 30s).
• 36% of those in their 20s and 34% of those in their 30s say they have tried or purchased hard seltzers, but no longer buy them.

Photo: Oliver Winery