The Virginia Wine Coalition is launching a Washington, D.C. Consumer Focus Group this fall, and your winery has the chance to be directly involved. With in-state distribution sales down nearly 15%, we know the industry faces a critical challenge: reaching the next generation of wine consumers. This initiative is designed to gather insights from Gen Z and younger millennials—a demographic with growing influence but under-tapped potential for Virginia wine.

Why This Matters

Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. are two of our most important markets. They’re home to adventurous, brand-conscious consumers who are shaping national beverage trends. By understanding what resonates with these younger audiences, we can strengthen our market share, refine our storytelling, and position Virginia wines as a natural choice on lists and shelves across the region.

What the Focus Group Will Look Like

  • Three Sessions: Each with 8–10 Gen Z and millennial participants
  • Length: Approximately 120 minutes per session
  • Wines Tasted: 21 Virginia wines total (7 per group)
  • Location: Capital Wine School, 5207 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, D.C.
  • Timing: Late October, with exact dates finalized alongside participating wineries.

Participants will explore wine styles, labels, price perceptions, and overall impressions—giving us an unfiltered look at how Virginia wine stacks up in the minds of future buyers.

Guided by an Expert in Consumer Narratives

We are thrilled to partner with Craig Honick of Good People Research, a Charlottesville-based applied ethnographer with over 25 years of experience. Craig has led human-centered narrative insight projects for Microsoft, Pearson, the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Northeast Dairy Innovation Center, and GO Virginia, among many others. His expertise ensures that the results will be both rigorous and actionable, delivering insights you can use immediately.

What You’ll Receive

Every participating winery will gain access to two key deliverables:

  1. Main Industry Report – Broad insights into Gen Z and millennial wine preferences, including:
    • Wine styles and flavor preferences
    • How bottle design and labeling influence perceptions
    • Situational and occasion-based drinking habits
    • Buying patterns and decision-making
    • Comparisons of Virginia wines versus other regions
  2. Special Winery Report – Tailored analysis of your submitted wines, including:
    • Specific feedback on your wines’ taste and style
    • Reactions to your bottle design and labeling
    • Pricing/value perceptions relative to peers
    • Identification of the most important purchase drivers for your target demographic.

Investment and Value

Participation costs $955 per wine, along with 4 bottles of each submitted wine. This modest contribution covers research execution while leveraging donated venue space, uncompensated respondents, and free project management from the Coalition. Independently, a study of this caliber would cost nearly $30,000. Your investment provides access to professional, high-level consumer research at a fraction of the true market cost.

Why You Should Participate

By joining this focus group, you’re not only investing in your winery’s growth but also contributing to the collective success of Virginia Wine. Together, we can:

  • Unlock the preferences of the next generation of wine drinkers
  • Refine how we market and present our wines in competitive urban markets
  • Build a stronger foundation for Virginia’s wine future in the traded sector

📅 Tentative Date: Late October 2025
📍 Capital Wine School, Washington, D.C.
💡 Cost: $955 per wine + 4 bottles submitted

Be Part of the Conversation

Space is limited, and your participation ensures that your wines are represented in this vital study. Reply today to secure your spot and help us chart a bold future for Virginia wine in the nation’s capital.

👉 Express your interest at info@virginiawinecoalition.org