According to The Beverage Information Group, women accounted for 58.1 percent of wine buyers in 2011. So, how come most wines are create by and targeted towards men?

I recently wrote an article for Midwest Wine Press, called Women Prefer Wine with a Story to Tell, that shows three examples of labels targeting women. An excerpt:

While many men look to ratings to give them advice, women are much more influenced by the stories behind the bottle and the entire social experience of wine. In the Sommelier Journal, Liz Thach, who teaches wine classes at Sonoma State University’s School of Business and Economics, said,  “Our latest study shows some basis for the idea that men are more influenced by authoritative ratings and the prestige of name brands, whereas women are more concerned with the social experience of drinking wine and the stories behind the bottles, as provided by labels and personal recommendations. Men collect wine, women share it; men use wine to impress others, while women use it to create memories.”

So, when it comes to wine labels, how do women choose? A wine label should communicate your brand, your uniqueness and increase the perceived value of your wine. A wine label is your biggest piece of advertising and the first contact most people will have with your wine. Is your label communicating to women? Using a script font with girly colors is not the answer.

If you want to go after women, your wine label will need to:

1. Have a unique memorable wine label design that compliments your other labels. Many people forget names, but do remember artwork. For example, a friend of mine will often ask her favorite restaurant for the wine with the girl riding a bike.

2. Tell a story that women will want to share. Is your wine label inspired by your trip to Europe? Share it. The story should compliment your brand, whether it’s funny or classy.

3. Ditch the wine ratings. Instead describe what it really tastes like and what mood it will evoke. Girl’s trip to Vegas or a night around the bonfire?


4. Promote an interactive experience. Since the above research shows we women are social, encourage us to share our favorite stories about your wine on Twitter, Facebook or your website.


5. Donate a portion of sales to a favorite charity. Women love to rally behind a good cause.

If you are considering a wine label re-design, remember these four things: Keep it simple, differentiate from your immediate competitors, tell your brand story and have consistent branding. When you don’t have the luxury of personally selling a bottle of your wine, your wine label needs to convince that undecided shopper to “buy me!” and convey your winery’s brand story. What does your wine label say to women?