Why women drink wine

A survey by Vinexpo exposes the gender politics behind a glass of vino in Asia

According to a 2010 Vinexpo survey, two women out of three in Asia prefer drinking red wine to white wine, rose, or sparkling. The survey, which polled women in China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, also found that 38 percent of women in China drink wine because they believe it is good for their health, and that 67 percent of women in Hong Kong choose wine based on country of origin.

It was carried out on behalf of Vinexpo, the body responsible for the largest wine trade fair in the world, which used to be held every year in Bordeaux, France, but now divides itself biannually with Asia's wine hub, Hong Kong. In 2009, Vinexpo commissioned similar research about women and wine drinking but on a global basis, covering other cities like London, New York, Berlin, Japan and Paris. The results of the 2010 survey in Asia show almost the same results in terms of drinking preferences, purchasing decisions and the image of wine. Women see wine as a healthful beverage which matches well with food, and as an "elegant," lifestyle choice.

Surveys don't tell the whole story
But anecdotal evidence suggests the women-and-wine situation is more complex. Sandy Leong, director and general manager of Great Time, a distribution company based in Macau which also supplies Hong Kong and mainland China, believes even these three geographically close markets are very different.

She describes how in Hong Kong, women drink wine because they are wealthy, stylish and professional. In Macau, women drink wine when they are going out. In China, when invited by men, if women can drink wine at the same pace, they earn immediate respect. But, she questions why women seldom take responsibility for ordering wine in a restaurant. Another practice not unique to Asia.

Although there is little question that wine is reaching an ever larger pool of women, women have been involved in the production of wine for decades, even in the more traditional (family focused) wine-producing countries of Europe. Women are now often employed in wine distribution and marketing positions worldwide too. Little surprise really, after results from studies emerged showing women may in fact be 'better at' wine than men, due to more sensitive senses of smell and taste.

Women take their own lead
Yet despite this pedigree, women do appear to be less proactive when it comes to wine expertise. Of the 280 Masters of Wine in the world, just 75 are female and only three come from Asia (Debra Meiburg and Jeannie Cho Lee live in Hong Kong, and Lisa Perrotti-Brown lives in Singapore). And while the incidence of discrimination against women in the trade seems to be minuscule, Judy Leissner, who runs Grace Vineyard in China's Shanxi Province, a prestigious winery owned by her family, says she has lost female staff because their families consider women who work in wine, and drink wine, "easy to get."

Perhaps it's only right then that women, in Asia especially, are being given, and taking, the opportunity to wine up with the best of them. Hong Kong's largest wine distributor, Watson's Wine Cellar, runs an extensive program of wine tastings and wine dinners, and has started to run women-only events, as women sometimes feel intimidated by men who talk more and appear to know more about wine. Leissner observes that, at least in mainland China, women drink for pleasure, while men drink for face and business. Giving gifts of expensive and prestigious wines like Chateau Lafite is commonplace.

Thank goodness, though, that the mixing of wines like Lafite with Sprite belongs to another, former, decade.