Drinks

Covering key topics including well-being, Gallup in a recent article, titled “Young Adults in U.S. Drinking Less Than in Prior Decades,” notes that young adults have become progressively less likely to use alcohol during the past two decades. Meanwhile, drinking among older Americans is trending upward and middle-aged adults are holding fairly steady.

Similarly, as the wine industry isn’t immune to demographic trends, Silicon Valley Bank in its “2023 State of the Wine Industry Report,” points to consumers younger than 60 as having a lower share of wine consumption compared with what they did in 2007. Meanwhile, consumers older than 60 are the population bands where there is growth for wine.

Among other key takeaways, the report points to premiumization trends as slowing, as older consumers are paying more for premium wine while younger buyers are increasingly less engaged with the wine category.

Given how demographics are impacting wine consumption, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS) dug a little deeper, providing more of a flavor of what exactly each generation is pouring and why. 

Among key insights, SGWS highlights some of the wine trends they are seeing by generation:

What wines baby boomers are drinking now

• Traditional wine varietals: Baby boomers will continue to be the dominant wine consumer in share of spend, in part because they’re still the largest generation by population, so traditional wine varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling) are here to stay.

• Red and white, burgundy: Despite the scarcity and high prices they want them in their collection.
• White wine varietals beat the heat: With hotter temperatures across the country, and some baby boomers ready to retire to warmer climates, chilled white wines from classic grape varietals are what they are buying.

What millennials and Gen Z are drinking now 

• Natural wines: These are a mainstay of a younger demographic driven by global sustainability concerns and a desire for a lower ABV wine.
• Rosé all day: Rosé is all millennial, all the time.
• Red Zinfandel: A gateway for younger consumers to get into reds, this wine has made inroads with younger consumers based on its “juicy” and slightly sweet flavor profile balanced with rich, full flavor.

As far as which wines all generations and demographics are drinking, the company points to bubbly wines — Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and bubbly Prosecco.

Laura DePasquale, senior vice president of sales and commercial operations at Artisanal Wine Domaine & Estates Artisanal Wines, a division of Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, added:“Although natural wines are a mainstay for Gen Z wine drinkers, Bordeaux has been on the rise as they are discovering it and learning to appreciate it. Millennials tend to take a ‘Rosé all day, all the time’ attitude toward wines, while baby boomers continue to enjoy drinking Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.” BI

Continuing its mission to support emerging talent, BACARDÍ and Canadian Grammy Award-winning producer Boi-1da once again partnered to launch this year’s evolution of the longstanding Music Liberates Music program: The Concept A.I.bum. Dropping this November, The Concept A.I.bum champions the works by five global up-and-coming artists in a project exploring how A.I. can be positively leveraged to provide emerging talent unprecedented opportunities. Each artist will have the opportunity to try out multiple demos with Boi-1da’s star-powered beats, using a generative A.I. personally trained by the award-winning producer, to ultimately finalize one incredible track. Together, the tracks will be offered to fans as the first-ever AI-powered EP produced by Boi-1da. “I’m thrilled to work with BACARDÍ on this groundbreaking new iteration of Music Liberates Music exploring AI as a tool to enrich human creativity,” Boi-1da said in a statement. “One of the most fulfilling responsibilities I have as a producer is to work with up-and-coming talent.” Laila Mignoni, global head of brand marketing communications for BACARDÍ rum, added: “This is the fifth year we’re bringing Music Liberates Music back for artists and fans alike. We’re proud of all the creatives involved.” The Concept A.I.bum is available for purchase as a limited-edition vinyl as well as for free on streaming platforms, such as Spotify, this November, the company notes.

According to the Sleep Foundation, tea drinkers are more likely to clock at least seven hours of sleep a night (75%), versus coffee drinkers (58%).

In its recent survey, the Sleep Foundation revealed other key findings, as follows:

• 94% of Americans drink caffeinated beverages, with 64% consuming them daily.
• 68% of survey respondents who don’t drink caffeine think it can affect their sleep, while 40% of caffeine drinkers think so.
• 51% most often enjoy coffee, with soda (28%), tea (10%), and energy drinks (7%) following in popularity.
• Sleep issues like daytime sleepiness, fatigue, insomnia, and mental health issues affect caffeine drinkers more than non-caffeine drinkers.

“Caffeine is a legal stimulant that provides that little jolt of energy,” said Dr. Abhinav Singh (MD, FAASM), medical review expert at Sleep Foundation and medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center, in a statement. “If you find yourself struggling to fall and stay asleep when tired, look at your entire caffeine intake and see how much is getting into your system, then start to reduce or eliminate as much as possible.

“There are hidden sources of caffeine that are present everywhere, including chocolate, workout drinks, body washes, and even face creams,” Singh continues. “Caffeine can be used as a friend in the right quantity and timing.”