As someone who has worked in Big Wine Marketing for the past 6 years (Constellation, LVMH, Deutsch), I have a lot of thoughts about the headlines lately. I just published a piece called Wine Is Not Dead in response to the constant narrative that wine is “dying.”
The argument is simple: consumption hasn’t collapsed, younger generations are drinking wine, and the panic feels misplaced. What is struggling is how wine presents itself: overly traditional, rule-heavy, and often disconnected from how people actually live, socialize, and discover brands today.
I’m curious how this resonates here:
- Do you feel wine culture feels exclusionary or outdated?
- If you work in wine, do you think the industry is misreading the moment?
Sharing the article for context, not promotion: https://open.substack.com/pub/rottwineclub/p/wine-isnt-dead-its-marketing-is?r=47x1b&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
by No_Yam8109
9 Comments
Consumption of wine in France certainly has collapsed in recent decades. Are you talking about some other countries?
Yes, I think wine is exclusionary.
I’m in the industry — retail for 15 years and now distribution. I have my level 3 wset cert (with distinction! Like anyone cares) and I’m an excellent and attentive salesperson. I’m passionate and I know how to meet people where they’re at.
And when I attend wine events like I did this weekend I’m appalled at how snooty people are. There are people who won’t interact with me because I worked for a large local chain. (They are unaware I was a buyer for a small independent high end store, they assume I’m a corporate drone. Lol) There were people there correcting me when I made a very minor error about a producer. (Let it go, dude.)
That wasn’t everyone. A lovely sommelier from a well known independent shop remembered me from an event and was delightful. I reassured some younger drinkers that it’s ok that they can’t afford burgundy. I can’t, either. I even made a new friend.
But the snobbery and gatekeepers are insufferable. Unless and until we can take the sommelier, blind tasting, oh yes I smell leather and raspberry compote crowd out of the experience, people will go elsewhere for their vices.
I have more fun discussing thc because there’s almost no gatekeepers or snobbery. Even the bros at the gym are less ridiculous and intimidating.
There’s people on this subreddit who make fun of people who enjoy wine with fruit notes. Not sugar, but just it being “fruity”. Makes me insane every time. Fruit notes are a major part of wine!!!!!!!!! It’s in fact one of the best parts about wine!!!!!! It is being a massive wine snob to shit on people for ….. Liking wine. This isn’t mega purple or messed with this is basic napa cabs and red zin and such people start shitting on as soon as someone says they like it
Like people see someone posting here for the first time and call their wine a “fruit bomb” in a derogatory way. Genuinely wine and wine fans are dying for a reason and it’ll deserve to go if the current people keep gatekeeping “quality wine” to only apply to 30 year old burgundy that tastes like.. checks notes.. leather
Wine has tried to freeze itself in 1960. You can’t do that. You have to let things evolve. If wine tastes change that’s fine. Better than it dying off.
No. Consumption of alcohol is down across the board. Wine more than most as many who drink now want cocktails and beer. I know many people in the industry in sales, marketing and production.
Global consumption has decreased. Iirc the loss in consumption from China equates to at least one whole UK worth of demand gone.
Consumption is down and prices are up
Wine marketing is and has always been based on exclusion, intentionally or not. That’s why $10 brands that focus on lifestyle and fun have always done well.
For the average consumer in the average liquor store, they’re not going to experience the live and in-person snobbery until they’re deeper. What’s exclusionary for them is the liquor store itself – arranged by country in most cases. What the hell does average person know about the difference between French and Italian wine? Or a Cab Sauv from the US versus Australia? It is a seriously high bar for education to make even a basic choice there.
I won’t get into the general snobbery because I think others have covered that well. But the way wine shows up at the purchase point is *built to exclude* and I don’t think we can underestimate that factor in today’s “everything at my fingertips right now” culture. (I’m not slagging off people who don’t want to take the time to learn – it’s a huge hill – it’s just even more impactful now than previously.)
I’m a very small producer in the Santa Ynez valley and this has been my worst sales in 8 years of business.
There’s a definite decline in sales as people drink less and switch to other types of drinks, like hard seltzers.
At least locally here in Santa Barbara county, I don’t see a lot of the snobbery and gate keeping others have mentioned.
It’s also just like any other industry in the world. We need these times to clear out some of the crap being produced and readjust some pricing.