Contrary to popular opinion, it’s millennials who actually prefer cork-sealed wine bottles, while those over 65 have moved towards screwcaps, according to a new study commissioned by Wine Intelligence.
According to the study, Older consumers in the United Kingdom are the most enthusiastic adopters of screwcap-sealed wines. “We have reached a point where utility and functionality are at least as important to consumers as tradition; our evidence shows that older consumers now prefer screwcap over cork-sealed bottles, as they are very easy to open,” Lulie Halstead, a senior analyst at Wine Intelligence, told The Drinks Business. “Our research indicates that acceptance of screwcap among drinkers over 65 years old is widespread. However, a greater percentage of consumers in their early 20s, according to our research, actually prefer cork.
“Gen Z associate cork with higher quality and may regard screwcap-sealed wines as less prestigious. Millennial respondents have also shown a preference for natural cork over alternatives like plastic stoppers.”
In Wine Intelligence’s Vinitrac survey, 51% of respondents aged 65 and over said “they liked” screwcap bottles. Meanwhile, 18% of respondents aged between 18-24 years old said they disliked screwcaps, compared to just 4% of the 65-plus demographic.
However, this data turns out to be quite regional, as attitudes towards bottle closure systems differ greatly in markets across the globe.
“Wine Intelligence’s data on the US market suggests that many older Americans are reluctant to purchase wines not sealed under cork,” Halstead reported. “This puts them at odds with their British counterparts.”
All-in-all, the younger generation’s support for cork-sealed wine bottles is good news for natural cork companies, especially in the UK. Gaining strength among such a sought-after market segment speaks well to the future of cork-sealed bottles.
In other modern wine news, winemakers are now looking to Israel’s Negev desert as wine regions across the globe continue to struggle with drought and wildfires due to climate change. Currently, winemakers in the barren