Wine Market Council today announced that Eric Asimov, chief wine critic for The New York Times, and Jon Bonn�, wine editor for The San Francisco Chronicle, will present at the tenth annual Wine Market Council consumer research conferences taking place January 27 in New York and February 6 in Napa.  At the New York conference, Asimov will discuss changing attitudes toward wine in American culture as it becomes more popular in the United States.  At the Napa conference, Bonn� will discuss the changes in American wine, the maturing of our wine culture, and the rise of a confident new generation of wine lovers.  Registration is now open for both conferences here.  Read more.

Wine Market Council, the nonprofit association of grapegrowers, wine producers, importers, wholesalers and other affiliated wine businesses, recently unveiled the results of a recent "On-Premise Discussion Group Study Report" among members of the U.S. wine trade including sommeliers who work on-premise, as well as beverage professionals and mixologists. Wine Market Council conducted two online discussion groups to gain insight into the relationship of wine, craft beer and cocktails. The discussion groups focused on the role occasion plays in beverage choices; whether craft beer and cocktails are complementary or a substitute for wine; the crossover of craft beer drinkers, cocktail drinkers, and high-frequency wine drinkers and/or high-end wine buyers; the other types of beer consumed by craft beer drinkers; and predictions for future craft beer, wine and cocktail consumption. "Overall we found that discussion participants believe that increases in the consumption of wine, beer or spirits, is a benefit to all in the beverage industry," said John Gillespie, president of Wine Market Council. "They don't think the rise of craft beer or cocktails should have the wine industry 'running scared' and the overall sentiment was that wine will always have a place at the table." Read more.