Women Increase Wine Purchases When Labels Highlight Female Winemakers, Study Finds

Recent research from Washington State University and Auburn University shows that women in the United States are more likely to buy wine when they know it is made by a female winemaker. The study found that messages such as “proudly made by a woman winemaker” on wine labels increased women’s intentions to purchase those wines. This effect was even stronger when the label artwork included feminine cues, like flowers. Women were also willing to pay higher prices for these wines.

The findings are significant because women account for 59% of all wine purchases in the U.S., according to Christina Chi, a professor at WSU’s Carson College of Business and coauthor of the study. Chi explained that wine is often seen as a cultural product, where the identity of the winemaker can influence how consumers view the brand. Despite this, female winemakers are less likely than men to put their names on labels or highlight their gender. Chi said this may be due to concerns about bias in the male-dominated wine industry.

“Our findings suggest that women winemakers and winery owners can benefit by being more visible,” Chi said. She recommended that women in the industry consider using statements like “women-made wine” on labels or packaging, and that retailers could feature displays highlighting wines made by women.

The research, published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, involved more than 1,000 U.S. women in a three-part study. In the first part, participants were shown a fictitious Columbia Valley red table wine with either a feminine label featuring flowers or a masculine label with a portrait. Women reported higher intentions to buy the wine with the feminine label and were willing to pay $3.50 more per bottle—$17.75 compared to $14.25 for wines with masculine cues.

In the second phase, researchers added a “woman-made wine” statement to marketing materials. Purchase intentions increased further when both the statement and feminine artwork appeared together on labels.

In the third phase, photos of female winemakers were added to marketing materials. Surprisingly, women were less likely to buy wines with feminine labels when photos of female winemakers were included. Researchers suggested that consumers’ decisions may have shifted from focusing on the “woman-made” message to whether they personally related to the women pictured.

The study also tested these strategies on wines with masculine labels. Adding a “woman-made” statement significantly increased their appeal among women consumers. When photos of female winemakers were included with masculine-labeled wines, women were willing to pay $3 more per bottle.

Demi Deng, an assistant professor at Auburn University and first author of the study, said she hopes this research will help raise awareness about women’s contributions in winemaking. Only about 18% of U.S. winemakers are women. Deng noted that during her time as a sommelier in New Zealand, she met many female winemakers whose names rarely appeared on bottles.

The research has received attention from beverage trade journals and has been welcomed by women in the wine industry, who expressed interest in further studies about female wine consumers. The authors believe their work can have both societal impact and practical significance for wineries looking to connect with America’s largest group of wine buyers—women.