Last orders for pint drinkers as beer feels the draft and British blokes choose wine at the bar
British men are set to call time on the pint within a generation according to new research published today. As drinkers are steadily weaned off ale, 2039¹ has been set as the year for a switchover, meaning that by the time today’s school children are well into their drinking years, there could be more wine quaffers than beer suppers in the nation’s pubs.
Millions of British men are already shunning a pint of the usual and turning instead to the wine list for their drink of choice, as soaring wine sales in pubs attest.
As year on year sales of wine dramatically climb, landlords have identified a growing taste for wine among their regulars. While a night on the beers used to be a staple for many, today’s drinkers are switching loyalty, with more than half of British men (54%) admitting that just the one pint at the beginning of an evening is enough to quench the thirst, before moving on to a glass of wine or two.
The French Wines Report was commissioned to explain why, in a nation of traditional ale drinkers, this change has come about. Of the 1000 regular male pub goers questioned,
68% claimed the gassy, bloated feeling after a beer put them off a second or third pint, preferring to continue their evening with a lighter option
52% conceded that the sheer range of wines on offer in British pubs often outshone the beer choices
54% of men admit they’re more likely to drink less beer than wine in the future, as the nation’s tastes are further refined.
This is reflected as the traditional décor of the British pub changes to accommodate drinkers’ evolving tastes. In the place of pump handles, beer mats and bar towels, pubs are turning their attention to blackboards chalked up with wines by the bottle or glass and tasting notes. In accordance, the typical stodgy pub grub of pies, steaks and bangers – the usual partners to a pint of beer – is losing favour, with three quarters of British blokes (75%) admitting they’d rather choose from a menu of lighter options, particularly European styled mezze and tapas dishes that sit perfectly with wine.
Olly Smith, BBC Saturday Kitchen wine guru, said: “The news that Britain is increasingly a nation of wine drinkers may seem surprising, but in reality it’s been gathering pace for some time. The French Wines Report highlights the process that has seen many drinkers swap the pint glass for the wine glass and these days it’s much more common to sip wine with a meal than beer. With so many styles to choose from in France alone, it’s a journey of discovery, adventure, and good fun that’s rapidly capturing the British imagination!
“What is fascinating is the extent to which beer is losing ground to wine. This is partly to do with the influence of the European lifestyle, pouring wine to share among friends with a few nibbles. But the tastes of Brits are also diversifying as the snobbery previously associated with wine is banished forever and the continental approach continues to flourish. For example, today 65% of men admit they’re more likely to drink wine than ever before.”²
Tellingly, the French Wines Report reveals that 72% of British men consider wine to be a more sociable drink than beer, with 68% preferring to share a bottle between friends rather than taking it in turns to buy rounds of beer.
Yet the hackneyed image of a bottle of Chardonnay shared among a group of gossiping women is fast becoming an anachronism as wine is well and truly established as the drink of both sexes.
Olly adds: “The lager lads of the Nineties, immortalised by the characters of Gary and Tony in Men Behaving Badly, have evolved into a new breed whose tastebuds hanker after more options. With cigarettes now banished from pubs, smoke-free punters are enthusiastic about choosing from a greater range of drinks – including top wines – because tasting and smelling a glass of juicy wine is far easier without being swamped by ash and smoke.
“While it may be difficult to imagine some of today’s TV characters bowling into the Rovers Return or Queen Vic and requesting a ‘glass of the usual’ and savouring a glass of fantastic zippy white Muscadet or hearty red Fitou, it’s only a matter of time. The wine revolution is on a roll.”
In fact, it’s already possible to predict what today’s remaining beer faithfuls will plump for once the wine conversion really gathers pace…
As Coronation Street’s longest serving character, Ken Barlow has propped up the bar at the Rovers Return for 47 years, but we predict he’ll change his ways and swap his daily half pint of pale ale for a low alcohol French white wine with a smooth, sophisticated taste.
When unwinding in the Woolpack, Emmerdale’s Zack Dingle is rarely seen without a pint of real ale in his hand. The best wine swap for this Yorkshireman will be a rich, robust French red.
Walford’s loveable rogues Minty and Gary have long enjoyed sipping a pint of lager after a hard day’s graft at the garage. Yet the Queen Vic could be in for a surprise when these Eastenders replace their pint glasses to share a bottle of fresh and fruity French rosé.
Hollyoaks best mates Max Cunningham and OB drink bottled lager at The Loft when they’re out on the town. In time we predict that the silky charms of a full bodied French white wine will prove just as appealing as the soap’s glamorous ladies.
Even farmers will gain a new sophistication by substituting their pint jug for a wine glass. In The Archers we envisage David Archer surrendering his pint of bitter for a smooth and velvety French red wine, which is sure to impress even the likes of wine connoisseur Nigel Pargetter.
With such a wide range of French wines available, seasoned drinkers such as these will easily find something to suit. From the aromatic, fruity, elegant whites of Alsace, Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, to the richer, more buttery Chardonnays of Burgundy and Languedoc, there are white wines in many distinctive styles.
Reds too run the gamut from soft and juicy (the red Burgundies and Beaujolais) to rich and powerful (fine red Bordeaux, red Rhône, southern Syrahs). Then there’s fruity French rosé from regions such as Provence, now enjoying a new wave of popularity; the premium vibrant sparklers and Champagnes; and some of the best sweet wines in the world.
Finding your perfect drop couldn’t be easier. To sample a selection of French wines yourself and chat to a host of experts, why not visit the French Wines Experience at The Wine Show in London (25 – 28 October)? An exciting array of wines will be showcased to highlight the enormous range of styles and excellent quality of wines from France.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Research was carried out by French Wines amongst a representative sample of 2,005 adults aged 18+ across the UK during September 2007.
¹ The date 2039 has been calculated by the French Wines Report, based on forecasting on-trade drinking statistics supplied by Mintel UK. According to Mintel, wine sales have increased by an average of 5.9% each year over the past five years, while beer sales have fallen by an average of 2.5% each year over the past five years.
² Source: The French Wines Report
French Wines Campaign
Now in its seventh year, the French Wines campaign is funded by the French Ministry of Agriculture and managed by Sopexa UK. The campaign has a two-tiered approach, communicating with both the trade and the consumer, and serves to promote all of the wine regions of France, both at AOC and Vins de Pays levels.
The French Wines campaign supports the sensible drinking message championed by the Drink Aware initiative – www.drinkaware.co.uk.
French Wines Experience at The Wine Show
French Wines will be the largest exhibitors at The Wine Show which runs from 25 – 28 October 2007 at the Business Design Centre, Islington. Enjoy the exciting array of French wines available for tasting – whether you prefer white, rosé, red, sparkling or sweet wines, there’s one to suit every palate and pocket. Visit www.wineshow.co.uk for more information and to buy tickets.
