Women influencing the Asian wine market

It appears that global wine marketers are more and more interested in Asian female attitudes towards wine. In advance of next week's Vinexpo Asia-Pacific wine trade show in Hong Kong the show organizers conducted a survey of female wine consumption habits with magazines Trends Health in China and Elle in Hong Kong, Korea and Japan.  The survey asked 9 questions around wine preferences and perceptions of the right occasions to consume wine.

The results were interesting, particularly given the history of wine in a country and the national temperament of the women consuming it.  In Japan, which has the most mature and developed wine market in Asia, 42% of women responded that they consume wine more than two times per week with around 77% making their purchasing decision based on price.

The frequency of consumption was less in the other three countries, yet a considerable percentage of women in these three markets (over 50% in China) are making their own wine purchasing decisions.  Unlike Japan, the Chinese women make their decision based more on the wine's origin than price.

Overall Asian women have a positive attitude towards wine.  Around 92% of Japanese and Korean women like the taste of wine, and drink for pleasure and conviviality whereas 38% of Chinese women drink mainly because wine is perceived as good for the health and is an elegant activity to engage in socially.  While wine is still not considered a traditional beverage, it is being associated with tradition by around 35% of women in both Hong Kong and Japan.  Could that be linked to history?

No surprise, 2 out of 3 Chinese women prefer red wine as red is a traditionally happy and lucky colour and white is associated with death.  Yet the Hong Kong Chinese women show more curiosity and independence in their desire to drink white and rose wines, and sparkling wines.

The survey also suggested that Asian women generally aren't worried about gaining weight because of wine, and view wine as part of a balanced diet.  Good for them, I thought, though I couldn't help notice that 48% of survey respondents were less than 30 years old - which may be why they don't worry!  They're still really young!

These survey results were translated from Vitisphere.com, a French language wine website.