Women Prefer Wines Made by Female Winemakers

Research shows women consumers are more likely to purchase wines with feminine cues and 'woman-made' labels

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A new study from Washington State University and Auburn University found that women consumers in the U.S. are more likely to purchase wines made by female winemakers, especially when the wine labels feature feminine artwork and a 'woman-made' statement. The research suggests women winemakers can benefit by being more visible and leveraging their gender as a marketing strategy.

Why it matters

Women make up 59% of all wine purchases in the U.S., so understanding their preferences is crucial for wineries looking to reach this key demographic. The findings indicate that promoting women's ownership and involvement in winemaking can boost sales among this large and influential group of consumers.

The details

The study involved a three-part survey of over 1,000 U.S. women. First, the researchers replicated previous findings that women express higher purchase intentions for wines with feminine label artwork like flowers versus masculine imagery. Then they added a 'woman-made wine' statement, which further increased women's purchase intent. However, when photos of individual female winemakers were included, women were less likely to buy the feminine-labeled wines, suggesting consumers may have been more swayed by their personal connection to the winemakers than the 'woman-made' messaging alone.

  • The research was published in February 2026.

The players

Christina Chi

Coauthor of the research and professor of hospitality business management at Washington State University's Carson College of Business.

Demi Deng

First author on the research and assistant professor at Auburn University, who earned her doctorate at Washington State University.

Ruiying Cai

Assistant professor of hospitality business management at Washington State University and contributor to the research.

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What they’re saying

“Our findings suggest that women winemakers and winery owners can benefit by being more visible. The research shows that they can disclose their ownership with confidence and leverage it as a marketing strategy.”

— Christina Chi, Professor of hospitality business management at Washington State University (Mirage News)

“I actually encountered a lot of women winemakers, but their names aren't visible in the wine market.”

— Demi Deng, Assistant professor at Auburn University (Mirage News)

The takeaway

This research highlights an important opportunity for women winemakers to better market themselves to the largest segment of wine consumers in the U.S. By embracing their gender identity and making it more visible, they can tap into women's preferences and boost sales of their products.