Consumers think wine has a lot of added sugar and say that’s one of the reasons why they don’t drink much of it.
They’re wrong, but it’s hard to change their perception, said Liz Thach, president of the Wine Market Council.
“The consumer has no idea, and these awful urban myths just keep floating around,” Thach told growers and industry reps on Feb. 10 at WineVit, the annual convention of the Washington Winegrowers Association, in Kennewick, Washington.
Thach was one of three speakers on a panel titled “State of the Industry,” which kicked off the two-day conference and trade show at the Three Rivers Convention Center. Thach was joined by Danny Brager, an industry consultant and partner in 3 Tier Beverages, and Melissa Club, brand manager for L’Ecole No. 41.
As it has for several years now, the opening presentation focused on how consumers are drinking less alcohol overall, throughout the world, but it also highlighted a few points of potential growth for Washington wine.
One is in nutritional messaging, Thach said. More than half the consumers surveyed thought refined sugar was added during the winemaking process. That’s totally false for more than 90 percent of wines on the market, Thach said.
“This is a problem we have that we need to solve,” Thach said. “The simple way to do it is just put on your label ‘No added sugar.’”
Though wine consumption is down and the industry is feeling the economic pinch, there are a few bright spots, said Brager. About 40 percent of Washington wineries are growing, based on shipments. That percentage is higher among the smaller wineries.
Also, the mid-range price points are faring the best for Washington wines, based on purchase data, he said. Bottles priced at $10– $15 made up the largest share of purchases, about 38 percent. While the $16–$30 price range showed the highest growth.
Clubb told audience members that Sustainable WA, Washington’s third-party certification program, was playing with her winery’s customers. “We do it because it’s the right thing to do, and it just so happens that our customers notice and value it, too,” she said.
Perennial WineVit speaker Erik McLaughlin of Metis discussed tips for how winery and vineyard owners can exit the business, either by selling, merging or winding down their companies. It’s not a fun topic, said the Walla Walla consultant for mergers and acquisitions, but it’s one that many in the industry should confront.
Most wineries and vineyards will have more luck winding down than trying to sell, simply because there are so few buyers, he said. Winding down usually is the best way to get the most value out of inventory and assets.
“It feels lonely and it feels like failure, but it doesn’t have to feel that way,” he said.
WineVit Day 1will continue with an evening awards banquet and auction highlight. Day 2 will feature more educational meetings, with topics that include idling vineyards, technology and a keynote address by Drew Bledsoe, former star quarterback for the Washington State University Cougars and New England Patriots football teams. The Walla Walla native also is the founder of Bledsoe Wine Estates. •
