SLO County News BlogGolf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel NewsSLO Wine - Up, not SidewaysSaturday, July 23, 2005A new Gallup poll showing Americans prefer wine presents a ripe opportunity to attract a new generation of aficionados, local industry officials say."Wine is being demystified in the United States -- it's no longer for these oenophiles," said Charlie Yates, executive director of the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association. "I think people will take that information and say, 'There's something about wine that I want to try.'" This is the first year since the Gallup Organization began asking Americans about their drinking habits that wine edged out beer as the beverage of choice. It jumped 6 percentage points over last year and gained most significantly among men in the 30-to-49 age group and those who identified themselves as nonwhite. "This is stuff we've seen coming for a while," said David Sloane, president of trade association WineAmerica, which represents wineries across the country. "This is not a surprise. The product is coming of age in America." Of 658 drinking adults ages 18 and older polled this month, 39 percent said they prefer wine, compared with 36 percent for beer and 21 percent for liquor. The poll, taken July 7-10, has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. When Gallup first asked the question 13 years ago, 47 percent picked beer and 27 percent chose wine. Liquor has consistently ranked third. Wine's popularity has gained steadily during the last decade, those in the industry believe, because of studies touting its health benefits, advertising that appeals to consumers at least 30 years old and interest generated by the surprise hit film "Sideways." Also, they say, wine drinkers in their 30s and 40s -- the children of baby boomers -- grew up with wine on the dinner table. Molly Perello, a co-owner of 1865 Restaurant in San Luis Obispo, said wine consumers have become more interested over time in learning about the varietals they're drinking and how they pair with food. "I think one of the things that the wine industry pushes, and is so very true, is that pairing the right food with the right wine (produces) an over-the-top sensation," she said. Perello and others say younger drinkers are more interested in the buzz alcohol produces than the drink itself. Among adults ages 18 to 29, beer is still the preferred choice, but it is losing ground to mixed drinks such as martinis. Cynthia Reed, owner of Vinoteca Wine Bar in Paso Robles, said most of her customers are at least 35 years old. But she said the younger drinkers she serves are more sophisticated than previous generations that age. "It's skyrocketing to me," she said. "They're drinking their wine, they're enjoying their wine, and they're asking questions about their wine." Area vineyards reap benefits of education and advertising The Tribune, Laurie Phillips To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Read More
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