May 12, 2026 — Wine Market Council (WMC) announces an exclusive member webinar unveiling new insights from its latest Consumer Taste Preference Study. Entitled Taste Matters: What “Wine-Hesitant” Consumers Want in Their Wine, the webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., PST.
“We are excited to share the results of our latest wine consumer research study, which delves into the wine tastes and attributes that new or marginal consumers prefer or find off-putting. The results point to opportunities for wine brands to better align their products and messaging with consumer preferences,” stated Liz Thach, MW, President of Wine Market Council.
Prior research has shown that difficulty finding wines that match personal taste preferences, along with widespread perceptions about wine flavor, are major barriers to purchase among marginal and new wine consumers. Therefore, this new research study explores the basis of these perceptions, how flavor expectations and actual tasting experiences can diverge, and what the wine industry can do to address these challenges.
About the Consumer Taste Preference Study
The two-part study features quantitative analysis from 3,386 blind consumer wine tasting reviews, along with findings from a national survey of 1,000 “wine-hesitant” consumers regarding their opinions and experiences when choosing wines. Results include insights into key sensory characteristics and how they interact to attract—or repel—wine-hesitant consumers.
The study was developed by Wine Market Council and research partner Quini, a firm specializing in consumer sensory data and technology solutions. Webinar presenters include Christian Miller, WMC Research Director, and guest speaker Roger Noujeim, CEO of Quini.
An interesting finding, according to Noujeim, is that: “Among wine-hesitant consumers, the combination of high tannin/astringency and low perceived sweetness carried a recommendation score penalty of approximately 8 points — yet astringency alone was nearly uncorrelated with dislike — revealing that it is not a single attribute, but specific flavor combinations, that turn hesitant consumers away from wine.”
Christian Miller, WMC Director of Research, added: “This research demonstrated just how big a barrier the lack of flavor information is for many consumers when choosing whether to buy wine and which wine to buy. The key issue is not finding some magic formula that appeals to everyone; it’s making it easier for more consumers to choose wines that match their palates.”
Webinar Agenda
Agenda
10:00 – 10:05 – Welcome & Introduction – Liz Thach
10:05 – 10:25 – Overview of Database Analysis Results & Recommendations – Roger Noujeim
10:25 – 10:30 – Q&A
10:30 – 10:50 – Survey Results & Recommendations – Christian Miller
10:50 – 11:00 – Q&A and Conclusion
For more information about the study or webinar, contact the Wine Market Council at admin@winemarketcouncil.com.
The webinar is open to Wine Market Council members and the press. Non-members interested in joining WMC may apply at:
https://winemarketcouncil.com/members-only/membership-application/
About Wine Market Council
Wine Market Council is a non-profit organization, established in 1996, and is powered by members with an interest in advancing the U.S. wine market and industry. The mission of WMC is “to conduct forward-looking market research on U.S. wine consumer buying habits, attitudes and trends.’
Membership benefits include access to cutting-edge research on the U.S. wine consumer, along with member webinars, newsletters, access to data files and statistics, and complimentary attendance at our annual research conference. Membership starts as low as $400 per year for access to webinars and reports – depending on the size of your organization. Members include wineries, distributors, growers, importers, regional, national, and international trade associations, and affiliates. For more information on membership and costs, please see https://winemarketcouncil.com/join/.
