(Forbes) - What’s under the wine industry’s Christmas tree this year?

For a start, there’s the results of the E. & J. Gallo Winery’s 2015 Gallo Consumer Wine Trends Survey.

76 million people were born in the U.S. between 1946 and 1964; they are the Baby Boomers. Between 1965 and 1980, about 82 million were born into Generation X, and between 1981 and 2000, around 83 million Generation Y (Millennials) were born. Libran Research & Consulting tallied answers for the Gallo survey across the three generations, from 1,000 adults between ages 21 and 64 who consume at least one glass of wine weekly and who consume wine more than once a month.

Americans above age 50 today still account for about 50% of the wine market, yet differing patterns between Millennials and Boomers are informative for the future.

Millennials consume wine while socializing with friends; Boomers prefer wine at home with meals. Each group buys by the label, but Millennials look for the creative aspects of a label while Boomers seek product details like regional origin, etc. About 30% of Millennial wine consumers consider themselves novices, a number crucial to wine marketers, because the youngest end of the age spectrum for any group usually starts inexpensive and sweet, then moves to higher-priced, less sweet wines. Put another way, exploration by today’s wine novices creates tomorrow’s loyal consumers.

While a majority of Boomers (especially the ones with money) prefer the traditional 750 ml wine bottle with a cork in it, Millennials are open to all kinds of wine packaging from boxes to cans, corks to screw caps. More important, younger Millennials are susceptible to fads: right now, its rosé wine.

Because Boomers won’t be around much longer, the wine industry must stay on top of trends, and the important trend to watch is the digital world of wine buying; f.or that, a couple of gifts lie under the tree.