Who Said Young People Don't Like Wine?

 What times for wine. In recent years, by following the many events, it does not seem to live in peace, in any area, including the commercial and market ones. It is a continuous succession of events and news, very often contradictory, which certainly makes it difficult to determine, not only the future – including the near future – but also the present. In recent times, moreover, the news seems to focus particularly on the trend of consumption, relative both to countries and to age and social groups. The impression, given the contradiction of the news and facts, is that the world of wine is going through a period of profound uncertainty, especially commercial, with news and research that seem to be divulged with the aim of mildly reassuring the sector. If we also add the deep uncertainty caused by the tensions in the markets following the introduction of tariffs by the United States of America – although they are, at the moment, paused – the present and future condition of wine still seems hazy.

 Unfortunately, this is yet another factor of uncertainty that has characterized the condition of wine in recent years, from production to consumption. Including the many studies conducted on consumer habits and which, lately, have been carried out with increasing frequency. It is not my intention to criticize the seriousness, reliability and method with which these studies are conducted – certainly reliable and consistent with the reference group on which the results are based – however it is not exactly easy to get a concrete idea. Lately, it seems these research are particularly focusing on which groups of people, based on social, generational and age criteria, have the merit of supporting wine consumption. In recent times there has been a confused alternation on whom, based on age, were the main consumers of wine, giving the winner's trophy to the so-called young people, shortly after outclassed by the more mature ones, then to the middle group, and then back to the young people.

 A recent survey conducted by the UIV-Vinitaly Observatory, in fact, reveals the highest consumption bracket in the under-44 age group, contradicting – as a matter of fact – other recent surveys, which instead place the “mature” generations among the primary consumers and supporters of the wine market. The new survey – apparently – contradicts what, until a few months ago, seemed to be a consolidated habit, that is, that the “mature” generations were the ones who spent the most on wine. This does not seem to be the case anymore. The population under the age of 44 is the one that contributes the most to the balance of the wine market, not only in Italy, but also in the United States of America. Moreover, it emerges that consumers belonging to the group under 44 years of age buy expensive, famous and well-renowned wines mainly for a matter of prestige, therefore – apparently – without any interest in the specific wine, probably not even in the producer itself.

 These wines are therefore poured into glasses mainly for the supposed social prestige that comes from flaunting the possibility of being able to afford expensive wines. As far as I'm concerned, I don't think this is good news, at least if I consider it solely from the perspective of the appreciation of wine as such. Instead, without offending anyone, to me this seems to confirm the general attitude of our times: the frenetic obsession with appearance – first and foremost – as the primary method of self-affirmation in a superficial society that glorifies itself and takes pleasure in superficiality. It also confirms what I have been sadly seeing for some time now in the world of wine, with consumers, in general terms, who are not interested in the quality of the wine and what they really have in the glass, uniquely interested and focused on the label. People drink and, I would add, consider and show off, only the label, very often also the beautiful fairy tale that accompanies it, but not the wine.

 Specifically, the study reveals interesting and comparative data regarding the wine market in Italy and the United States of America. The most relevant data is related to the role of wine at a cultural level and in the context of consumption occasions. Apparently, the association of wine with food – for centuries, inseparable companions of the table – is gradually being lost in favor of consumption essentially linked to factors of fad and appearance. Specifically, for 56% of young people, wine consumption is associated with phenomena of fad, while it is for 28% of consumers of past generations. Furthermore, this type of consumption is more frequent among those born in the 1980s/1990s – with 45% – compared to 29% of those born around 2000s. In any case, these are significant market shares since, in the United States of America, they represent 24% and 35% respectively of the overall value of the wine sector.

 According to the study by the UIV-Vinitaly Observatory, approximately 31% of the total value of wine purchased in the United States of America is related to high-end bottles, preferred in 60% of cases by consumers under 44 years of age. As regards the Italian market, the share drops to 10%, half of which is attributable to young consumers. In both countries, however, half of these buyers declare themselves not tied to specific labels or wineries, a share that drops to a third among consumers over 44 years of age. The study highlights, as mentioned, the change in the social role of wine, which is increasingly moving away from the table, especially among consumers in the United Stated of America, who, in 7 cases out of 10, consume wine with the aim of promoting greater socialization. As regards the distribution of consumption, in Italy consumers under 44 years of age represent 35% of the total, while in the United States of America it reaches 47%.

 As regards the frequency of consumption – both in Italy and in the United States of America – there are no differences based on the age group. 80% of consumers, regardless of generation, consume wine two or three times a month. However, there are differences in quantity, with consumers under 44 years of age having the highest consumption with two or three glasses of wine. The age group that has recorded a drop in consumption is therefore the one over 44 years of age. In the United States of America, the age group that has recorded the highest consumption is the one under 44 years of age. In fact, 31% of them have increased their wine consumption, while 26% have decreased it. As for the older age groups, only 9% have increased their consumption, while 26% have decreased it. The situation is different in Italy. 27% of consumers – regardless of age – have decreased their wine consumption, while those under 44 have seen a 14% increase in consumption, compared to 7% of the older consumer group.

 Finally, the study reveals that almost half of teetotalers belong to the generation over 60 years of age, followed by those of the next generation, representing 23% in the United States of America and 30% in Italy. The percentage of teetotalers is significantly reduced in the younger generations, with 30% in the United States of America and 20% in Italy. As for consumers who, for health, ideological or personal reasons, choose to totally or partially exclude alcohol consumption, as well as consume it occasionally on specific moments in a moderate or conscious way, in the United States of America represent 60% among consumers under 44 years of age, while in Italy they stand at 46%. A very different trend is recorded among consumers of the other age group, with 30% in the United States of America and 25% in Italy.