History of Red Wine and Its Healthful Attributes
Red wine has been around for thousands of years. The basics of making it have stayed the same: Red grapes are grown, harvested, and crushed to extract the juice. Yeast is added, either naturally from the grape skins or separately, to ferment the juice into alcohol. The grape skins impart its color and tannins - antioxidants that provide health benefits when enjoyed in moderation and create a dry quality. Wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot, and Sangiovese have high tannin levels that also make good food-friendly wine options.
The Red Wine Consumer
A common misconception is that men prefer red wine more than women. However, NielsenIQ data shows 57% of women order red wine most often when dining out versus 42% of men. The key is that women overall drink more wine.
To draw younger drinkers, Wine Folly suggests beginner-friendly reds like Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Shiraz, Carménère, Monastrell, and Garnacha. They’re bolder, with easy-drinking fruit flavors, and good value options <$18. The holidays are a great time to introduce new wine drinkers to these approachable reds with a wide range of holiday dishes!
Red Wine Performance
On Premise: Red wine has a 42% dollar share (33% for white) and +1% in dollar trend (-.6% for white)
Off Premise: Red wine has a 41% dollar share (36% for white) and -3% in dollar trend (+0%)
Trending Red Wine Styles
Sources: Wine Folly “12 Fascinating Health Facts About Red Wine”
Sources: Wine Spectator “What are Tannins, Really?”
Sources: NielsenIQ On-Premise Sales YTD 9/9/2023
Sources: NielsenIQ Off-Premise Sales YTD 11/4/2023
