About Us
Mission
The Mission of Wine Market Council is to be the leader in forward-looking market research on the U.S. wine consumer purchasing habits, attitudes and trends.
Overview
Wine Market Council is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization focused on conducting cutting edge research on the U.S. wine consumer. All funding is generated by our Membership, with 80% of funds going directly to research studies and dissemination. Member organizations represent the full spectrum of the wine industry. Each year WMC conducts 3 to 4 major studies, with the topics selected by members and based on current needs within the industry. Topics range from consumer perceptions of sustainability, wine pricing, packaging, wine styles, ingredient labeling, wellness, responsible drinking, communication preferences, demographics, and many more topics. Members use the data to assist them in shaping effective brand and marketing strategies.
HISTORY
Wine Market Council was started in 1996 by John Gillespie and a group of visionary wine industry leaders who realized that more data was needed to understand the desires of U.S. wine consumers. This was especially important to small family wine businesses who didn’t have the resources to establish an inhouse market research department. Furthermore, large wine businesses could benefit by receiving market-level research that would allow them to dedicate their budgets to building brands.
In 1997 the first WMC U.S. Wine Consumer Benchmark Segmentation Study was launched, and since that time 18 studies have been completed. This makes it the longest running study on the U.S. wine consumer, and allows WMC to conduct occasional longitudinal analyses on the data. For example, in 1997 only 29% of legal drinking age Americans consumed wine, and in 2023 the percentage had climbed to 35%.
Over the years, additional studies were conducted, until now WMC has a large database of U.S. wine consumer studies stretching back for more than 25 years. These studies provide rich insights into the evolution of the U.S. consumer and how wine businesses can effectively engage in a responsible fashion in marketing and selling wine. To date, WMC has had three more Presidents: Bobby Koch, Dale Stratton and currently, Liz Thach, MW.
The Future
Wine Market Council is dedicated to continuing to serve the wine industry as a scientific non-profit organization by providing cutting edge research on the U.S. wine consumer. WMC believes that wine is a beverage of moderation and, that when consumed responsibly, can be part of a happy lifestyle that cultivates togetherness, laughter and special moments when shared with friends and families across many occasions and celebrations. Wine has been an important part of agriculture and world cultures for more than 8,000 years, and we believe it will continue to be a component of the good life and help support the thousands of small family vineyards and wineries around the world.
OUR TEAM
Dr. Liz Thach, MW
President
Dr. Liz Thach, MW, has been conducting wine market research for more than 20 years as a Professor, Research Writer and Consultant based in Napa and Sonoma, California. Liz is considered to be one of the U.S.’s leading wine experts, and has visited most of the major wine regions of the world and 80 countries. She teaches wine classes at Stanford Continuing Education, Burgundy School of Business, and Sonoma State University, and has published over 300 articles and 9 books, including Call of the Vine, Best Practices in Global Wine Tourism and Wine Marketing & Sales. She frequently publishes in Forbes, Wine Business Monthly, Wine Spectator, and The Somm Journal, amongst others. In addition, she serves as a wine judge and on several non-profit boards. A fifth generation Californian, Liz finished her Ph.D. at Texas A&M and now lives on Sonoma Mountain. Liz obtained the distinction of Master of Wine (MW) in May of 2011, becoming the first female MW from California.
Christian Miller
Director of Research
Christian Miller has worked in market research, brand and category management for over two decades. He is the proprietor of Full Glass Research, which provides market research and industry analysis for food and beverage producers and marketers.
An original member of the WMC Research Committee, he also helped launch the Wine Opinions consumer and trade panels, and directed the UC Davis OIV Wine Marketing course from 2008 to 2024. Christian’s wine industry experience includes work at wineries, retailers, restaurants, an importer and a négociant. He has marketed wine brands ranging from a few thousand cases to over a million, giving him a broad view of the industry. Christian holds a BA degree in Economics from Franklin & Marshall College and an MBA from the Johnson School of Management, Cornell University.
Danny Brager
WMC Special Advisor
Danny Brager has a wealth of experience in the U.S. Beverage Alcohol industry, analyzing trends over many years. He formerly headed Nielsen’s (now known as NIQ) Beverage Alcohol Practice Area in the U.S, leading teams that supported relationships with Nielsen’s clients as well as key industry groups and the media. Now in a new consulting role, Danny partners with 3 Tier Beverages – a company that facilitates the provision of data, and provides outsourced analytics. He is also Managing Director of Category & Consumer Insights at Azur Associates. In his Special Advisor to the Wine Market Council, Danny serves on the WMC Board of Directors and frequently presents high-level WMC data and research findings at conferences and seminars around the world. Danny was born in Calgary, Alberta and moved to Toronto where he graduated from the Schulich School of Business at York University. He relocated to Mission Viejo, California in 1993 where he now resides.
Janet Becker
Administrative Assistant
Janet Becker has over 20 years of experience at Diageo North America and Diageo Beer Company in both administrative and executive assistant roles. She brings a wealth of expertise to WMC, including meeting and event planning, budget management, customer service, and compliance control. In addition to her work with WMC, she will continue working part-time for Aerena Galleries & Gardens and Blackbird Vineyards. She has worked with these companies for the past 7 years, where she initiated the company-wide recycling and composting program and played a key role in Blackbird’s Napa Green Winery certification. A Napa resident for the past seven years, Janet embraces the region’s vibrant culture and community. Passionate about travel and a devoted animal lover, she enjoys exploring new destinations and spending time with furry friends.
Board of Directors
- Emma Swain, Chair – St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery
- Sam Filler, VP/Treasurer – New York Wine & Grape Foundation
- Heather Jordan, Secretary – Biltmore Estate Wine Company
- Xavier Barlier – Maisons Marques & Domaines/Roederer Estate
- Kaleigh Theriault – NielsenIQ
- Brent Bolding – Jackson Family Wines
- Gino Colangelo – Colangelo & Partners
- Mel Dick – Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
- Perris Fiori – Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
- Mike Jaeger – Cakebread Cellars
- Craig Ledbetter – Vino Farms, LLC
- Jacki Strum – Wine Enthusiast Companies
- Barkley Stuart, Alternate for Mel Dick – Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
- Dirk van Renesse – Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC)
- Judd Wallenbrock – Somerston Estate/Priest Ranch
- Danny Brager, Advisor to the Board – Azur Associates
- Annette Alvarez-Peters, Annette a.p. Wine & Spirits Consulting
- Curtis Mann, MW, Safeway/Albertsons
- Erin Kirschenmann, Wine Business Monthly
Benefits of Being a Wine Market Council Member
- ROI of Membership – Members receive, on average, $300,000 annually in high-value, cutting-edge market research, along with exclusive access to an archive of prior reports valued at over $2 million.
- Access to the Largest U.S. Wine Consumer Survey in World – a biannual Benchmark Segmentation survey with 4500+ consumers, balanced to U.S. census for gender, age, ethnicity, education, and income.
- Access to Cutting Edge Reports from 3 to 4 Studies Per Year – get the latest reports and statistics on the U.S. wine consumer from member-selected studies, g. Ingredient Labeling, Multicultural Consumers, High-End Consumers, Dietary Guidelines, etc.
- Attendance at 4 to 6 Research Webinars – the ability to attend WMC webinars with the latest research and guest experts, plus access to video recordings and slide decks.
- Annual Research Conference – complimentary attendance for up to 3 employees per member organization at our annual half-day research conference
- Data Files – Access to data files (g. Excel, crosstabs, raw coded respondent data) on research studies (at $1000 dues level)
- Powerful Network – an opportunity to interact with other companies in the industry (wineries, distributors, importers, growers, trade associations, retailers, universities and affiliates)
- 28 Year Track Record – proven track record of providing 28 years of U.S. wine consumer research (since 1996)
You can become a member too!
Wine Market Council has been tracking annual wine consumer attitudes and behaviors for two decades, providing its members with consumer research that is helpful to their day-to-day business. Become a member for full, unlimited report access.