There have been throngs of articles in the past few years about how the drinking preferences of so-called Millennials, those born in the 80’s or otherwise reaching young adulthood in the early part of this century, are shaping the beverage industry. The fact that these young drinkers are unabashed fans of rose has ensured the continued growth of the category, as one example of their influence. The other side of this impact on the market is the risk posed to styles of wine that are not embraced. Millennials are a significant slice of the market, accounting for almost 50% of the wine consumed in the United States, according to figures from the Wine Market Council.
Styles that require a more sophisticated palate, such as the classic old world wines of Burgundy and Piedmont, are not under threat even if millennials are spending the majority of their dollars on $15 Argentinian Malbec because they have a loyal following of older drinkers, many of whom buy less wine but spend more money on each purchase. These historical wines are also passed down through family traditions, so that at least some young drinkers are aware of their quality, even if they require a food pairing to bring out their charm. But categories like fortified and dessert wines have always been polarizing, even among serious and seasoned wine drinkers.
The wine culture for young people is less formal than ever, which often translates to easy drinking wines that don’t require coddling with temperature control or food pairings to taste good. While dessert wine doesn’t have a reputation for being casual, it does have one thing going for it that millennials are looking for: sugar. Moscato d’Asti has proven to be a hit with this generation, according to Nielsen, and other companies have been following suit, releasing sparkling wines with more sugar.
Could this be the gateway into more serious dessert wines, such as Sauternes, Tokaji, and Trockenbeerenauslese? If millennials are to make the jump, it seems there would need to be a targeted marketing campaign to draw in the attention of this powerful group of drinkers. If nothing else, the fact that young drinkers are decidedly interested in wine in general bodes well for the category, even if it is not destined to become an Instagram worthy trend.
