Red wine drinkers earn more and are generally happier - but white wine lovers are more practical, a study has revealed. Experts who examined in detail the social habits of wine drinkers found their lifestyles really can be generalised according to their preferred wine colour.
Those who drink red wine are also more likely to have a degree and be married, and drink more frequently than those who have a preference for white or rose.
But white wine drinkers are home-lovers, who enjoy a holiday in the UK and are content with their position on the career ladder.
Gérard Basset, spokesman for French Wines with Style, which commissioned the report, said:
"They say you can tell a lot about someone from their favourite tipple, and it seems that it is definitely the case when it comes to wine.
"From the study it looks as though those with certain personality traits are drawn to certain styles of wine.
"Red wine drinkers appear to be the more relaxed of wine fans. White wine drinkers love the status quo. Whilst rosé fans are itching for change."
The study, of 2,000 adults, looked into everything from earnings to career prospects and personal attributes.
When it comes to the red wine tipplers:
- More than half of red wine drinkers are university graduates, and typically earn between £40-45,000 per year;
- 81% are happy at work, with 65% still highly ambitious and mounting an assault on the career ladder;
- Just under a quarter even think they have achieved all they can professionally.
In comparison, a white wine drinker:
- Pockets around £25-30,000 per year, with just 43% having attended university;
- Despite 81% of white wine fans admitting they are not yet near the top of their career, most are not really interested in the corporate ladder, with 42% saying they aren't really that ambitious;
- More than three quarters even said they are very satisfied with what they have achieved.
The research also found that 55% of rosé fans leave school by 18 and they go on to earn an average salary of around £30,000.
Outside of the work place, red wine drinkers are most likely to be happily married, with 52% having walked down the aisle and a massive 86% saying their relationship is a happy one.
White wine drinkers are also more likely than other wine drinkers to be content with their solo relationship status, with 85% saying they are not looking for a relationship.
Rosé fans are most likely to be in in a happily settled, unmarried relationship.
Researchers also revealed that red wine drinkers enjoy spending the money they earn- a quarter of those who enjoy a glass of red take around three overseas holidays a year, with a third also taking three or more UK mini breaks on top of that.
As a result of their travels (red wine drinkers visit an average of 10 countries), 76% consider themselves to be 'cultured'.
But white wine drinkers are more likely to holiday in the UK, rather than travelling to far flung corners of the world.
Other traits red wine drinkers see themselves as include confident, relaxed, strong and intelligent.
White wine drinkers on the other hand tend to use words such as practical, bright, shy, quiet and reserved when describing themselves.
Rosé drinkers like to describe themselves as loud, warm and charming.
When it comes to style, 59% of red wine drinkers think they are stylish, with 88% taking pride in their appearance.
White wine fans are similar, with 87% taking care of their looks, and 56% describing themselves as stylish.
The study also found that it's the rosé drinker who adores Facebook, averaging 146 friends and 13 visits to the site each week.
But red wine drinkers have a greater enthusiasm for 'real' versus 'virtual' friends, with 90 saying they enjoy socialising with friends, and only log onto social networks such as Facebook eight times in an average week.
Red wine drinkers average four glasses of their preferred wine a week, white wine fans have three while rosé drinkers average just two glasses of wine a week - the least of all wine drinkers.
To help people choose a wine that best reflects their outlook on life, French Wines with Style has worked with the country's leading wine writers, bloggers and sommeliers to pull together a diverse list of the Top 150 wines currently available in the UK.
Red Wine drinkers;
Earn £40-45,000
Happily married
Holiday abroad
Confident
Relaxed
Strong
Intelligent
Drinks 4 glasses of wine a week
White wine drinkers;
Earn £25-30,000
Happily single
Holiday in the UK
Practical
Bright
Shy
Quiet
Drinks three glasses of wine a week
Rose Wine drinkers;
Earn £30,000
Happily in an unmarried relationship
Enjoy social networking
Loud
Warm
Charming
Drinks 2 glasses of wine a week
© Woodsy007 | Stock Free Images &Dreamstime Stock Photos
