The death of pale rosé? Gen Z would rather pay for a dark pink White Zinfandel than a Provence classic, study finds

Published: 07:16 EDT, 6 October 2026 | Updated: 07:16 EDT, 6 October 2026 Forget vineyards, vintages and fancy French labels – according to a new study, the quickest way to win over Gen Z wine drinkers is simply to make your rosé a darker shade of pink.Researchers surveyed 448 wine drinkers aged 21 to 44, showing them five rosé shades ranging in colour.They were asked how much they would pay for a glass or bottle and how likely they were to buy it.Analysis revealed darker shades were consistently linked to higher prices and stronger buying intent.And it turns out the younger drinkers in the study, classed as Gen Z, were swayed by perceived fruitiness in darker rosé far more strongly than older Millennial drinkers.This suggests that colour may be a more powerful flavour cue for younger generations, the researchers said.Lead author Renaud Lunardo, from Kedge Business School in France, said: ‘Different shades of rosé signify different things to different generations. If you're a wine producer chasing Gen Z drinkers, going darker is the move.’ The researchers asked participants to rate five different shades of rose (pictured). From left to right, the shades are called nacre, light melon, sand, melon and peachThe study, published in the Elsevier journal Food Quality and Preference, revealed that darker rosé shades were perceived as fruitier and better tasting.While pale rosé got a small lift from coming across as lighter and more refreshing, drinkers were overall willing to pay more for, and were more likely to buy, the darker shades.‘Fruitiness appears to be a particularly relevant meaning that Gen Z consumers infer from rosé wine colour,’ the team wrote.‘One possible explanation may relate to health perceptions.’The paper notes that previous research has shown that fruit-related cues can make foods and drinks seem healthier.The team suggest that the stronger fruitiness associated with darker rosés may therefore act as a health-related cue that resonates especially strongly with younger consumers. The team discovered that participants - especially Gen Z - were more likely to buy wines which appeared fruitierWine makers may be able to use colour more strategically to influence consumer expectations and attract different types of drinkers, the scientists said.Retailers could also make greater use of colour when displaying wines, helping shoppers identify bottles that match their preferences.‘This research carries implications for… food and beverage brands and retailers, suggesting that product colour should be treated as a genuine strategic design cue rather than a secondary aesthetic feature,’ they concluded.The findings echo previous research suggesting Gen Z has very different wine preferences to older drinkers.In an earlier study, scientists found that adding the sweetener xylitol to red wine made it significantly more appealing to young adults, who described the sweeter versions as softer and fruitier while rating traditional red wines as more bitter and acidic.Researchers suggested that younger drinkers tend to favour sweeter, fruitier flavours over the dry, tannic characteristics typically associated with classic wines.