While many still imagine men in the role of wine connoisseur, it is women, in fact, who have long been the leading wine purchasers and wine drinkers in the United States. Women purchase more than seventy percent of all wine sold and account for two out of three wine drinkers.

In her book, Wine For Women, wine expert Leslie Sbrocco uncovered many fascinating facts. "For example, women account for sixty percent of high-end wine drinkers in the United States, meaning that they purchase wine costing more than $15 occasionally to frequently, have more than twelve bottles on hand, and would buy wine costing over $15 for a casual meal at home."

"Women are adventurous when it comes to buying wine and are willing to try new varietals, regions and producers if they offer top quality and value," Sbrocco says. "It's not about making wine different in the bottle for women. The point is to make wine a regular part of any lifestyle."

"That includes offering ease and convenience with things such as unique bottle sizes and screwtops."

Increasingly, leading wine producers are taking these observations to heart. Lindemans Wines, for instance, has just released its new Lindemans Mini package format.

The Mini is a single-serving bottle that holds approximately one glass of wine and is sealed with a screwtop. Women who've tried the new 187-ml bottle appreciate not having to open an entire standard-sized bottle of wine to have one glass, are happy to dispense with the troublesome corkscrew, and say they value the serving options that the unique bottle size offers.

"Consumers have even suggested taking the bottles hiking and camping," said a Lindemans spokeswoman.

With new label designs and new packages catering to female consumers and developments like the single-serve bottle gain in the marketplace, wine marketers will keep working to win the loyalty of the largest wine-buying consumer segment.

"Women focus more on the taste and style of wines rather than ratings," Sbrocco said. "But, women also tend to listen to recommendations from others, so if a wine catches on with one woman, there's a good chance her friends will at least give it a try."