Sangria tipped for Millennial success

Sangria has been tipped for international success with Millennials expected to lead a trend for sweet, fruity wines,  according to research by Mintel.

Sangria is already popular in Iberia and the US, according to a report by Mintel, but has little presence in the international market.

However that could be about to change with Mintel drinks analysts predicting its explosion onto European and global markets sparked by the rising popularity of fruit flavoured wines in western Europe with younger drinkers.

Mintel said Sangria taps into a number of trends currently attracting Millennials, namely a taste for “sweeter, refreshing, fruitier flavours”, and an interest in “alcohol category blurring”, given its inclusion of brandy.

According to Mintel research, 71% of German consumers aged 18-24, 59% of Spanish, 58% of French and 42% of Italians prefer wine with stronger fruity flavours and are more likely to prefer fruity flavoured wine than older wine drinkers for whom ‘dry’ wine is often considered superior.

Jonny Forsyth, Mintel’s global drinks analyst, said he believed Sangria has the opportunity to be successful not only in the US and Europe, but also in China.

He said: “In the US, Sangria’s biggest international retail market, the product has tapped into US Millennials’ interest in sweeter wines, which they find more accessible on their palate. Hence, the rise of “Moscato madness” and sales of sweet red blends. However, this is not specific to younger Americans. In Europe too (sweet) taste is king, and 18-24 year-olds not only prefer the easier taste of sweeter wines but think sweeter wines are actually superior in quality to drier wine. For example, 36% of French consumers aged 18-24 think so, as well as 21% of French and Italian, and 18% of Spanish consumers in this younger age bracket.

“Another market where Sangria can succeed is China. Chinese consumers have now become the biggest consumers of red wine globally and red wine Sangria can provide an accessible and affordable option for middle class consumers still new to the acquired taste of red wine.

“One of the big attractions of red wine for the Chinese, apart from the positive cultural significance of red, is its health connotations, and Sangria’s serve with fruit can help to accentuate this perception.”