February 22, 2006

WINE, WOMEN AND GOOD TASTE

When it comes to good taste in wine, it seems women have the men beaten hands down.

In days gone by, men were responsible for buying the majority of the family’s wine requirements, but women have now taken over this position as a part of their regular shopping. And according to wine consultant, Guy Boursot, part of the reason is their understanding of ‘taste’ and ability to identify the nuances that make a good wine.

"It’s not a question of whether women taste wine better than men, but  I have generally found that they can identify and describe flavours particularly well, often with a few succinct words. They certainly seem to know what they like," said Guy. "Perhaps appreciation of taste is one reason why 7% more women than men in the UK drink wine."

Writing for wine and travel web site, winedrive.com, Guy Boursot added that although the wine business is still male-dominated, women have gained wider acceptance and are often found heading up major wine producing companies. "Women now make up almost a quarter of the membership of The Institute of Masters of Wine  - a sharp increase. Growers need to be aware that their wines may be coming under a more refined taste".

The trend seems to be supported by the proportion of female wine lovers registering on WineDrive's web site which has risen from about 25% to almost 40% in two years. WineDrive encourages its members to visit the vineyards, taste the wines at source and to buy directly, for which it takes no commission.

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Guy Boursot is a past chairman of the Champagne Academy, the organisation that represents the generic interests of the Grande Marque Champagne Houses in the UK, is a livery member of both the Worshipful Company of Distillers and the Worshipful Company of Vintners. An Englishman with French ancestry, his family has been making wine in the village of Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits of Burgundy since the 16th century.

Further Information From:
Guy Boursot: +33 6 76 10 32 41

Maurice Carroll, WineDrive France
maurice.carroll@winedrive.com
Tel: +33 (0) 5 49 29 47 05