2026-08-28
A new consumer survey released Thursday suggests that one of the clearest ways to support wine demand in the United States may be to help people entertain more often at home.
The study, called the 2026 Wine & Gathering Study, was released by Come Over October and LocalWineEvents.com as the wine business continues to deal with lower consumption. Based on two surveys of 1,553 respondents, the research found that many consumers are open to hosting family and friends more often, but say they need a clearer reason to do it and more help with planning.
According to the survey, 41% of respondents said they would be more likely to entertain if they had “a specific occasion or reason to gather.” Another 77% said busy schedules make it hard to spend as much time with family and friends as they would like. The findings point to a basic challenge for wine sellers: the obstacle may not be interest in gathering itself, but the friction involved in setting a date, planning food and deciding what to serve.
The study also found that practical guidance could make a difference. Some 41% of respondents said easy meal recipes and wine pairing information would help make get-togethers easier to plan. Another 32% said wine recommendations for different budgets would be useful. For producers, retailers and restaurants trying to keep wine relevant in everyday life, that suggests a path that is less about prestige and more about convenience, affordability and simple at-home occasions.
Wine remains closely tied to social occasions in many households. In the survey, 61% of respondents said wine was nearly always part of gatherings, while another 21% said it was served often, though not every time. That means more frequent home entertaining could translate into more regular wine purchases, especially if consumers are given straightforward ideas for meals, pairings and bottles at several price levels.
The timing matters because consumers are under pressure from higher living costs, and that is changing how they spend on dining and drinks. The study pointed to KPMG’s 2026 Consumer Pulse survey, which found that 67% of consumers are eating at home more often because of rising costs. In that environment, hosting at home can look like a less expensive option than meeting at a bar or restaurant, while still offering a social occasion where wine has a natural place on the table.
That shift has broader implications for the beverage business. If more households choose to gather at home instead of going out, the brands that are easiest to understand, easy to pair with food and available at a range of prices may be better positioned to benefit. The survey indicates that consumers are not necessarily asking for more products. They are asking for help making the occasion happen.
Kimberly Noelle Charles, cofounder of Come Together, said the results give the industry a practical opening. “This research gives the industry something concrete to act on,” she said in a statement. “We can give people more reasons to make the invitation and make it easier for them to do so. Every part of the wine community can bring that idea to life in its own way.”
The findings arrive as wine companies search for ways to reconnect with consumers whose habits have changed in recent years. Much of the industry’s concern has centered on declining overall consumption, especially as inflation, changing tastes and competition from other categories reshape drinking occasions. The new survey does not suggest that one campaign or one season will reverse those pressures. It does, however, point to a part of the market where wine still appears to hold a strong cultural position: informal gatherings with friends and family.
The data also suggests that the next growth opportunity may depend less on formal entertaining and more on lowering the threshold for casual hosting. A bottle recommendation tied to a weeknight pasta recipe, a themed dinner with a clear invitation hook, or a guide to serving wine on a modest budget may do more to prompt a purchase than broader messaging about the category. For a business looking for ways to stabilize demand, encouraging people to invite others over could be a more direct strategy than asking them simply to buy more wine.
That could matter not only for wineries, but also for merchants and digital platforms that can package wine with meal ideas, food pairings and occasion-based suggestions. If consumers respond to prompts that make hosting feel easier and less expensive, the home table may become one of the most important places for wine to defend and potentially rebuild its role in daily life.