Americans open to purchasing wine from various countries

NEW YORK, NY – While wine drinking is not linked as closely to American dining and culture as it is with that of some European nations, most Americans buy and drink wine — only 38% say they never bu

NEW YORK, NY – While wine drinking is not linked as closely to American dining and culture as it is with that of some European nations, most Americans buy and drink wine — only 38% say they never buy a bottle of wine. And, almost half of U.S. adults over 21 say they drink wine several times per month (48%) and over one in five say they usually purchase 4 or more bottles of wine per month (22%).

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,056 adults surveyed online between February 6 and 13, 2012 by Harris Interactive.

Whether it’s for convenience, cost, patriotism, personal preference or something else, a large majority of adults who buy or drink wine say they buy or drink wine from the United States (89%). Sizeable numbers say they buy or drink wine from Italy (37%), Australia (34%) and France (33%) while one in five or fewer buy or drink wine from Chile (21%), Spain (21%), Germany (20%) or Argentina (19%). Smaller numbers buy or drink wine from New Zealand (11%), South Africa (9%), Portugal (8%) or Brazil (6%) and very few buy or drink wine from Greece, Israel, Bolivia, Turkey or Poland (3% or less).

Despite what wine Americans are currently purchasing, half or more who buy or drink wine say they would consider purchasing wine from the U.S. (85%), Italy (62%), France (60%), Australia (50%) and Spain (50%). One quarter or more would also consider purchasing wine from Germany (42%), Argentina (38%), Chile (38%), New Zealand (38%), Portugal (36%), South Africa (31%), Greece (30%), Brazil (30%) and Israel (25%). While the numbers relating to buying and drinking habits have remained fairly constant since 2008, the numbers for consideration of each country’s wine are higher. This may indicate that while tastes evolve, habits are slower to change.

Consistent with that theory, 78% of adults who drink wine say they sometimes or frequently purchase a bottle of wine that they have had before. This practice is most common among older adults and women. Over half of Matures, aged 67 and older, say they frequently purchase a bottle of wine they have had before. This compares to 50% of Baby Boomers, aged 48-66, 40% of Gen X, aged 36-47, and just 32% of Echo Boomers, aged 18-35, who say the same. Almost half (46%) of women say they frequently purchase a bottle of wine they have had before compared to 41% of men who do.

As oenophiles know, wine can range in many things including quality, origin, taste and certainly price. When wine drinkers were asked how much they spent on the last bottle of wine they purchased, 61% reported paying $14 or less — 35% paid between $10 and $14 and 26% paid less than $10; 20% paid $15-$19, 11% paid $20-$29 and 8% paid $30 or more. While it doesn’t seem that most wine drinkers regularly spend over $30 on a bottle of wine, 34% say that they have spent that much before.

When it comes to how often Americans are purchasing wine, there are some generational and regional differences:

Matures (27%) and Baby Boomers (25%) are more likely than Echo Boomers (21%) and Gen Xers (20%) to purchase 4 or more bottles of wine per month;
Matures are also purchasing considerably more wine overall, with 10% buying 11 or more bottles per month, compared to 8% of Baby Boomers and just 2-3% of Gen X and Echo Boomers who do the same;
Adults in the Midwest buy wine least frequently — 13% buy 4 or more bottles per month compared to 24% of those in the South, 25% of those in the East and 29% of those in the West who purchase that amount; and,
Adults in the West seem to buy the most amount of wine, with 10% reporting purchasing 11 or more bottles per month.
So What?

Most Americans purchase wine and many show an interest in broadening their horizons in terms of what kinds of wine they buy. Wine makers and marketers would do well to reach out to these consumers — many seem to buy the same bottle out of habit rather than lack of interest in trying something new. It also seems that while Americans generally spend on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of wine pricing — which may be a result of difficult economic times and less disposable income — many purchasers buy several bottles per month and return to labels that are familiar, making them very valuable consumers for wine companies to engage with.

TABLE 1
HOW OFTEN BUY WINE
“How often do you, or does someone in your household buy a bottle of wine?”

Base: All adults aged 21 and over

Dec
2008
Feb
2012

%
%

Never
39
38

HAS PURCHASED WINE (NET)
58
59

Once a month or less often
39
36

Two or three times a month
9
13

Once a week
5
6

Twice a week or more often
5
4

Not sure
3
3

Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 2
HOW OFTEN DRINK WINE
“How often do you drink wine?”

Base: Adults who drink wine

Dec
2008
Feb
2012

%
%

Once a month or less often
54
49

Two or three times a month
18
18

Once a week
7
8

Twice a week or more often
20
22

Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 3
COST OF WINE BOUGHT
“The last time you bought a bottle of wine, approximately how much did you pay per bottle?”
“Have you ever purchased a bottle of wine for personal consumption that cost at least $30?”

Base: Adults who buy wine or drink wine

Dec
2004
Dec
2008
Feb
2012

Cost of Last Bottle Bought
%
%
%

$30 or more
5
9
8

$20–29
12
11
11

$15–19
19
23
20

$10–14
32
30
35

Less than $10
31
27
26

Ever bought bottle of wine costing $30 or more
36
37
34

TABLE 4
WHICH COUNTRIES’ WINES BOUGHT OR CONSUMED
“Do you ever buy or drink wine from any of the following countries?”

Base: Adults who buy or drink wine

Dec
2004
Dec
2008
Feb
2012

%
%
%

U.S.
91
90
89

Italy
44
37
37

Australia
32
37
34

France
40
34
33

Chile
16
20
21

Spain
N/A
22
21

Germany
23
22
20

Argentina
9
18
19

New Zealand
10
12
11

South Africa
6
10
9

Portugal
N/A
8
8

Brazil
N/A
3
6

Greece
5
4
3

Israel
4
4
3

Bolivia
1
2
1

Turkey
N/A
1
1

Poland
1
1
*

Other
N/A
N/A
6

N/A=Not applicable. The country was not offered as a choice at that time.

TABLE 5
COUNTRIES WHOSE WINES WOULD CONSIDER BUYING
“Which of the following countries’ wine would you consider buying?”

Base: Adults who buy or drink wine

Dec
2004
Dec
2008
Feb

2012

%
%
%

U.S.
87
83
85

Italy
73
61
62

France
64
61
60

Australia
52
49
50

Spain
N/A
47
50

Germany
48
42
42

Argentina
35
35
38

Chile
36
34
38

New Zealand
41
33
38

Portugal
N/A
32
36

South Africa
29
24
31

Greece
36
28
30

Brazil
N/A
27
30

Israel
28
24
25

Poland
25
19
22

Bolivia
24
20
20

Turkey
N/A
18
21

Other
N/A
N/A
12

N/A=Not applicable. The country was not offered as a choice at that time.

TABLE 6
REPEAT PURCHASE
“How often do you purchase a bottle of wine you have had before?”

Base: Adults who drink wine

Feb
2012
Generation
Gender

Echo
Boomers
(18-35)
Gen X
(36-47)
Baby
Boomers
(48-66)
Matures
(67+)
Male
Female

%
%
%
%
%
%
%

Frequently/Sometimes (NET)
78
70
79
81
86
75
82

Frequently
44
32
40
50
55
41
46

Sometimes
35
38
39
31
32
34
36

Hardly ever/Never (NET)
22
30
21
19
14
25
18

Hardly ever
17
23
15
16
10
19
15

Never
5
7
5
3
4
6
3

Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 7
AVERAGE MONTHLY PURCHASE
“In an average month, how many bottles of wine do you usually purchase?”

Base: Adults who drink wine

Feb
2012
Generation
Region

Echo
Boomers
(18-35)
Gen X
(36-47)
Baby
Boomers
(48-66)
Matures
(67+)
East
Midwest
South
West

%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

0
23
23
22
24
24
27
23
20
23

1
36
39
33
36
33
34
42
34
33

2-3
18
17
25
15
17
13
22
22
15

4 or more (NET)
22
21
20
25
27
25
13
24
29

4-5
11
14
12
10
8
16
8
10
11

6-8
5
3
4
6
7
5
4
6
6

9-10
1
2
1
1
2
*
1
2
2

11+
5
2
3
8
10
4
*
6
10

Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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