For more than two decades, Wine Market Council has provided wine market knowledge, trends, insights, and intelligence essential to all tiers of the wine industry. We conduct a segmentation study among U.S. wine consumers annually, and also quantitative and qualitative trade and consumer surveys on topics of special interest to our members each year.
Benefits of Being a Wine Market Council Member
- Access to the Largest U.S. Wine Consumer Survey in the World – a biannual large scale Benchmark Segmentation survey with 4500+ consumers
- Access to Hot Wine Topic Surveys – information from 2 to 3 additional research surveys per year on hot wine topics, g. Ingredient Labeling, Multicultural Consumers, High-End Consumers, etc.
- Research Webinars – ability to attend WMC webinars, and have access to video and slide deck
- Data Files – Access to data files (g. Excel, crosstabs, raw coded respondent data) on research studies (at $1000 dues level )
- Powerful Network – opportunity to interact with other companies in the industry (wineries, distributors, importers, growers, trade associations and affiliates)
- 27-year Track Record – proven track record of providing 27 years of U.S. wine consumer research (since 1996)
Testimonials from Wine Market Council Members
- “WMC studies allow us to understand expectations and developments in wine consumption in the USA. They are very important for us to adapt our marketing strategy.”
- “As a marketing executive I frequently use WMC data in my presentations to the Board. It is well respected and helps to support new brand campaigns we are considering.”
- “WMC’s rich deep dive into the multicultural consumer was essential to defining our go forward plan for the next generation of wine drinkers.”
- “WMC provided the data to validate my value proposition and marketing tactics. “
- “Wine Tourism is a key element of our region’s DTC Efforts, so we had WMC’s President present at our Annual Industry Conference on the results “The Outlook for Wine Tourism and DTC Sales,” it was eye opening for our industry members that they need adjust their marketing to attract more multi-cultural wine tourists to our State.”
- “We have used research from the WMC over ten years to inform strategies for our clients to successfully advance their market share in the US.”
- “The WMC research program offers an invaluable global perspective on the evolutions of the market and its trends.”
- “The WMC allows the industry to have platform with a common goal of moving the wine business forward in a positive way with fact based category insights that give membership a single version of the truth.”
- “The information and reports from WMC is typically the base of our marketing recommendations to clients. It helps us make sure our targeting and messages are on point.”
- “My work is focused on opening DTC channels for Italian wineries. As Italians don’t yet have a wealth of data in this emerging sector, WMC provides invaluable research that helps me develop data-driven strategy for my clients, allowing them to track measurable success. “
- “I really enjoy the interaction with well-informed industry leaders. The consumer data is the very best.”
- “Best database in the business.”
- “An early WMC study revealed that Millennials (then a young cohort as large as the Boomers) were early adopters of wine, suggesting strong growth potential. That lasted about three years before the rest of the beverage industry jumped on the Millennial bandwagon, and this large cohort’s interest in wine spread across the world of alcohol beverages. “
- “WMC’s study on Green Wine convinced us of the viability of launching a Vineyard Sustainability Certification program in our state. As a result, we received a $200,000 grant and have now certified 49 vineyards.”
Photo Credit: Pexels.com
Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President
Dr. Liz Thach, MW, has been conducting wine market research for more than 20 years as a Professor, Research Writer and Consultant based in Napa and Sonoma, California. Liz is considered to be one of the U.S.’s leading wine experts, and has visited most of the major wine regions of the world and over 75 countries. She teaches wine classes at Stanford Continuing Education, Burgundy School of Business, and Sonoma State University, and has published over 300 articles and 9 books, including Call of the Vine, Best Practices in Global Wine Tourism and Wine Marketing & Sales. She frequently publishes in Forbes, Wine Business Monthly, Wine Spectator, and The Somm Journal, amongst others. In addition, she serves as a wine judge and on several non-profit boards. A fifth generation Californian, Liz finished her Ph.D. at Texas A&M and now lives on Sonoma Mountain. Liz obtained the distinction of Master of Wine (MW) in May of 2011, becoming the first female MW from California. Website: https://lizthachmw.com/
Christian Miller, Director of Research
Christian Miller has worked in market research, brand and category management for over two decades. He is the proprietor of Full Glass Research, which provides market research and industry analysis for food and beverage producers and marketers.
An original member of the WMC Research Committee, he also helped launch the Wine Opinions consumer and trade panels, and is currently head instructor of the UC Davis OIV Wine Marketing course. Christian’s wine industry experience includes work at wineries, retailers, restaurants, an importer and a négociant. He has marketed wine brands ranging from a few thousand cases to over a million, giving him a broad view of the industry. Christian holds a BA degree in Economics from Franklin & Marshall College and an MBA from the Johnson School of Management, Cornell University.
Emma Swain, Chair
St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery
Sam Filler, VP/Treasurer
New York Wine & Grape Foundation
Heather Jordan, Secretary
Biltmore Estate Wine Company
Xavier Barlier
Maisons Marques & Domaines/Roederer Estate
Jon Berg
NielsenIQ
Brent Bolding
Jackson Family Wines
Gino Colangelo
Colangelo & Partners
Mel Dick
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Mike Jaeger
Cakebread Cellars
Craig Ledbetter
Vino Farms, LLC
Michaela Rodeno
Villa Ragazzi
Heidi Scheid
Scheid Family Wines
Jacki Strum
Wine Enthusiast Companies
Barkley Stuart, Alternate for Mel Dick
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Hugh Tietjen
Wine Communications Group
Dirk vanRenesse
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC)
Judd Wallenbrock
Somerston Estate/Priest Ranch
Danny Brager, Advisor to the Board
Brager Beverage Alcohol Consulting