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Fifty two percent of British wine drinkers surveyed stick to the same wine style for at least 10 years, according to research by the Co-op supermarket.

British wine drinkers stuck in a rut

The research also revealed the top wines people tend to stick with. Pinot Grigio came first, followed by Merlot and Chardonnay, then Sauvignon Blanc and Rioja.

Fear of making the wrong wine choice was a key reason as to why people stuck with the same wines. One fifth of those asked citing this reason.

One in five also said that previous knowledge was their main reason for choosing a particular wine.

Charles Spence, professor of experimental psychology, said that while Brits are willing to experiment with the food they eat ‘we are much less willing to try a new grape variety in our glass.

‘The reason being that we want to avoid disappointment.’

It is during their late 20s and early 30s that people are most experimental with the wines that they try, according to the research.

‘In our 20s and 30s our taste buds are at their prime, so we’re more likely to experiment while our sensory receptors are doing their best work,’ said Spence.

When trying a new wine, people are most likely to do so in their home, followed by in a restaurant, according to the Co-op survey. They are most likely to listen to their partner and friends’ advice about wine to try.

The research was conducted in October 2016, with 1,010 wine drinking adults in the UK taking part.

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Ellie Douglas
Digital Editor

Ellie Douglas is digital editor at Decanter.

She has worked at Decanter since 2013, when she joined as editorial assistant, then moving to the web team as assistant web editor in 2015.

Over her years at Decanter, Ellie has helped to significantly grow Decanter’s social media presence and with the launch of Decanter Premium in 2017.

She holds her WSET Level three in Wine, and in 2018 was shortlisted for PPA Digital Content Champion of the Year.