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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2005 > October > 25 > Entry
Which of These Six Types of Wine Drinker Are You?
Ohhh, I think we can have some fun with this one.
In “one of the largest consumer research projects ever conducted by the wine industry,� a giant U.S.-based wine company has concluded that wine consumers can be pigeonholed into six distinct categories, “each with its own set of attributes, motivations, preferences and shopping behaviors.�
So which one are you? Here are the categories, as
quoted directly from the company’s news release distributed 10-25-2005:
— “Enthusiastsâ€? are consumers who are passionate about the entire wine experience from researching what they buy to sharing their discoveries with friends and family.
— “Image Seekersâ€? feel sophisticated on one hand and adventurous and trendy on the other hand — they are just as likely to choose wine with sophisticated labels as wine with fun, image-driven labels.
— “Savvy Shoppersâ€? seek great wines at a great value; they enjoy drinking and shopping for wine and believe that good wines need not cost a lot of money.
— “Traditionalistsâ€? want to feel that their wine is made by a well-known winery that’s been around for a long time.
— “Satisfied Sippersâ€? look for a sensible choice they can feel comfortable serving to friends and family.
— And finally, “Overwhelmedâ€? consumers, who make up the largest group, find shopping for wine complex and worry about making a mistake.
The data comes courtesy of Constellation Wines, the company that brings you such brands as Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Almaden, Arbor Mist, Blackstone, Cook’s, Inglenook, Marcus James, Paul Masson and Talus. Hey, I said they were big. And just to make sure we know just how important – and big – this survey and research project are, company officials call it “Project Genome,â€? which they said “will have wide- ranging impact on wine sales by retailers and on-premise establishments in areas ranging from packaging, advertising and customer education to grocery displays and restaurant wine lists.â€?
Here’s the full Constellation Project Genome news release, for your perusing pleasure.
So, which category do you fall into? And just like winemaking, some blending is allowed, but let’s play by California rules: if you want to put one varietal on your forehead, you must be at least 75 percent from that varietal – um, I mean category.
C’mon. You first.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Comments
By David S.
October 31, 2005 1:01 PM | Link to this
If it is not too late, put me down for Savvy Shopper. My Scottish background makes me smile when I find a bargain.
By jb
October 27, 2005 4:48 PM | Link to this
i would have to say that pigeonholes are for pigeons. i, am no pigeon. maybe a stool pigeon according to my older brothers when young but pigeon i am not, those birds are dirty, i on the otherhand i do bath-per my wife; everyday. but enough about disease bearing birds-i would find myself in the Enthusavvyialist- a category created by the late (great)jackie gleason. may he and his bottle of bourbon rest in peace. but i digress. i would(would is a very subjective term) just buy whatever T.N. selling, does that make me a groupy of sorts? does anyone know anyhting about the Chaines des Rotisseurs? a totally random question i know, any input would be much appreciated
By over the top
October 26, 2005 3:20 PM | Link to this
HELLO UNCORKED What varietal are U????
By over the top
October 26, 2005 3:02 PM | Link to this
“Enthusiastsâ€? 70% So it is almost 75% (by the way that would be a california rule) “Image Seekersâ€? 10% (yeah SO what!!!) “Satisfied Sippersâ€? 10% (Try to increase the number of winos out there) “Savvy Shoppersâ€? 10% A deal is a deal!! Sounds like a nice Bordeaux named after the region of “Wine Lover”, not labeled by a specific varietal. MODERATE THAT!!!!!
By jens
October 26, 2005 3:01 PM | Link to this
I used to be overwhelmed and would stick with 1 or 2 wines that I “knew” I liked. Now I am an Enthustiast but love being a Savvy Shopper. What category are you in if you start a Wine Store? A Nut?
By cathy
October 26, 2005 1:33 PM | Link to this
“And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply…” Do I like being labeled by a consortium doing a large-scale marketing project costing boatloads of money and calling the result a ripoff of the Human Genome project? no… but in the interest of playing along, I’ll say I am a rainbow blend of: Savvy Shopper (like to find wines that taste better than their pricetag), Enthusiast (I sometimes research and seek specific regions/vintages), Satisfied Sipper (I do have my tried-and-true favorites), and occasionally still Overwhelmed (admittedly still learning from the pros, like Bob, Mark, Todd, et.al).
By Cornbread
October 26, 2005 1:32 PM | Link to this
ummm… prolly the 100% underaged kind!
By Patty
October 26, 2005 12:44 PM | Link to this
I’m a “satisifed sipper” with a little bit of “savvy shoppers.” I like wine, but I’m not going to stress over where it’s made, how it’s made and all those other little details. It just needs to taste good.
By Megan H
October 26, 2005 11:32 AM | Link to this
Savvy shopper and proud of if! I think this category is growing, too. Food & Wine magazine is more often noting wines that are a great value. Of course anyone that spends time commenting on a wine blog when she is supposed to be working has got to be part enthusiast. :)
By Bob
October 26, 2005 8:54 AM | Link to this
Don’t you just love the whole ‘marketing’ concept. It seems the antithesis of what wine should be about. If you read enough into it Enthusiast covers the spectrum. There is nothing like finding a well regarded wine that is wonderful to drink and getting it at a steal.
By brother ron
October 26, 2005 8:51 AM | Link to this
Where’s the category for “Cheap Gutter-wallowing Drunk”? I couldn’t find it… Um, you gonna finish that…?
By ToddN
October 26, 2005 8:04 AM | Link to this
As much as I detest these studies—I just picture some sort of clandestine study performed in a large, windowless building in the desert; “Zo tell me zir, vhich category are you.” —, maybe something good will come out of it. I just hate that some folks spend this much money to “manufacture” something for a specific market when the best of wines often simply convey a sense of place, people, and traditions of where it came from. But, I will stop with the ranting and get on with who I might be; a blend of Tradionalist and Enthusiast. So, Mark , which is it for you?
By Scott Elliott
October 26, 2005 1:03 AM | Link to this
I think I’m mostly a satisfied sipper, with some image seeker and savvy shopper mixed in.
By susan
October 25, 2005 9:20 PM | Link to this
i have to admit that most of the time i’m a savvy shopper but i love spending a little more on a really special bottle of wine for a special occasion. For a film festival party last year I brought a bottle of ‘the highliner’ from ‘sideways.’ I would’ve loved to have sampled it but it was gone before i got to it.
By Niki
October 25, 2005 8:27 PM | Link to this
75% enthusiast, 25% savvy shopper. How about you, Mark?