Wine in the 60s and 70s
My Unique Position
I don’t know anyone else admitting to this, and it has a lot to do with my age. I came of age in the late 60s and into the 70s, when wine, cannabis, and the age of enlightenment were both finding their place in history. For a lot of hippies, wine and cannabis were never really in competition. They were just part of how we lived, how we slowed down, how we paid attention to the moment. Fifty years later, something has shifted in a way I find genuinely fascinating.
Psychedelic that drew us in, wine in hand. Wow!
Generational Reset
I’m done trying to figure it out, as I face our history’s reality. Currently, we now have the lowest number generated in wine sales for nearly 90 years, among people under 30 in the US. This has dropped from 59 percent to 50 percent in just one year. And for the first time in recorded data, high-frequency cannabis use is now more common than high-frequency drinking. To clarify, this is not a blip, as it’s a generational reset in how people choose to relax. The two cultures of American adults who drink alcohol just hit 54 percent, sharing the approximate same space.
Those two cultures are older drinkers who have evolved into valuing tradition, terroir, vintage, and ceremony, for instance. And, then the younger drinkers, who tend to prioritize accessibility, values (like sustainability), and personal taste over prestige. One grows into the other, at some point in their evolution. This is why I am returning my blog to become more accessible, I can’t preach to the choir anymore, because I’m simply off key. Sweeping these numbers under the rug doesn’t hide it.
Labels that fascinate younger wine drinkers are the draw. The wine inside the bottle will keep them there.
I believe the wine industry, especially the small producers I love most, need to reckon with this honestly rather than fight it. Go market what you have, in this reality. I know (privately) many of you enjoy weed, so what are you waiting for? Here’s a hint, try simple labels, or really bold ones, like psychedelics. I can hear the reactions… “Wow, man!” When I was a younger wine drinkers, I was drawn to flower labels. Just ask Jose. He, on the other hand, was drawn to female figures, like Clos Pegas’.
Consider your buyers
Need Direction?
Besides flowers, when I was a younger drinker, I was also drawn to labels that were playful, bold, and irreverent. I loved (and still do), back labels that told stories, which were human and approachable. Then there’s also natural wines, unusual grapes, or the lore of a smaller producer. The younger audience is all about discovery over status. Roll with it.
What Worries Me
What worries me more is the squeeze on small wineries, who were already navigating a shrinking market before this shift deepened. And yet, those are exactly the producers making the most compelling wines right now. People pouring their hearts into the vineyard, into authentic practices, into something real. Yes, those wines cost more, but what people get is not just a bottle of uncharacterized efforts. They’re someone’s genuine vision of a place, a season, and a reason. Maybe that’s the lesson here, try something like her on your label, before the big guys do.
A label for the times and women shopping, who are in both places.
As the casual drinking culture fades, what survives, and what deserves to survive, is the wine that was never casual to begin with. Choosing the best has always been a rite of passage. That’s not changed. By volume, women come out ahead in most studies of wine purchases, and the shopping connection is a big part of it. Since women still do the majority of household grocery shopping in most countries, wine ends up in the cart more often simply because they’re the ones at the store.
Men tend to buy when they want to impress their male friends. Your choice… Impress each other, but buying for enjoyment. Women statistically come out ahead. Pick your audience, pay your bills. The aesthetic of that era is already having a cultural moment again. Women buy more wine. I’m not giving up on a new generation of wine enjoyers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Written by Jo Diaz, a partner of Diaz Communications, who is helping to make stars realize their dreams.
Edited by partner Jose Diaz.
To reprint, please contact Jo Diaz: jo@diaz-communications.com
Recent Comments