What you probably already know: Today, Feb. 18, is National Drink Wine Day, so crack open a bottle of Chardonnay or Merlot and relax (like you need an excuse). The relationship women have with wine has long been explored, and for good reason: Women are the primary drivers of the wine industry, accounting for 54.2% of sales in 2025, with Mordor Intelligence noting that women actively shape trends across varietals, regions and pricing tiers. They also tend to purchase more expensive brands. “Brands such as Kim Crawford and Cakebread Cellars have adeptly connected with this demographic, leveraging storytelling, lifestyle branding and immersive experiences like vineyard events and sommelier-led tastings.” Though people are drinking less, the value of the United States wine market is projected to grow 12% to $403 billion within five years.
Why it matters: It’s estimated that women account for less than 20% of all winemakers, but recent research from Washington State University reveals women are more inclined to purchase wine with feminine gender labels which, admittedly, often rely on stereotypes. “When you look at the market segments, women are actually purchasing a lot of wine. They are a large group,” says Ruiying Cai, an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management at WSU and the lead author of the paper. “We found that feminine cues speak to women consumers. They have more favorable attitudes toward the label and the wine itself. They were also expecting their overall sensory experience to be better, and they were more likely to purchase the wine.”
What it means: There’s no shortage of research about women and wine. The National Center for Biotechnology Information, for example, found that women who drink wine get pregnant more quickly (biologically speaking) than those who drink beer or spirits. An article in Psychology Today examined whether red wine improves women’s sex lives (it’s unclear). Several bits of research cited by Karen MacNeil & Co. even found that women “have a gender-based advantage” in smelling and tasting wine. “I would speculate that if you had a woman judging wine, early on she would be as sensitive as a man,” says Dr. Charles Wysocki, PhD, who conducted one study. “But with repeated exposure to the same wines, the woman would become able to make finer distinctions.”
What happens next: Several sites call attention to women-led wineries, and numerous efforts are underway to increase the representation of women in the wine industry, including networking and mentorship groups, industry advocacy and inclusivity programs. One organization, New York-based Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation, recently announced that it had given more than $1 million and awarded 407 scholarships for women pursuing education, certifications and professional training since its founding in 2017. Another, the SHE CAN Fund (the philanthropic arm of wine company McBride Sisters) has funded initiatives to help underrepresented individuals pursue wine-related careers. “We are not only breaking down barriers,” says Robin McBride, “but also enriching the industry with diverse perspectives and voices.”
