What I would not have guessed is that, according to the article published on Forbes.com, millennials make up 28% of “core wine drinkers”. Now I’m not sure what defines a “core wine drinker” so that might be part of my surprise, but in general, the people I see in the store most days are over the age of 50, maybe a few more in the 35-40 range in more recent years. I’m still surprised--pleasantly I might add--when someone in their twenties or even early thirties comes to buy wine for themselves, and even better yet, when they want to talk about wine. It seems more often than not, however, that most drinkers my age lean towards beer and spirits for mixed drinks. (Have you seen how many flavors of vodka there are? I don’t think “Bubble” and “Cake” were created for grandma and grandpa). I find it encouraging when millennials do choose wine.
The article included an interview with Jay Levy of Uproot Wines, a winemaking company whose target audience is the millennial generation. Levy points out, quite accurately I might add, that “this generation wants to connect with people, not companies.” That’s why it’s increasingly more important to not just describe a wine, but to tell its story. And perhaps that’s why I ended up here. I find myself in the unique position of not only being a millennial who wants to know the story of wine, but in many instances, can tell that story.
So, where do you find yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the next generation of wine drinkers. Are you in the millennial generation? If so, what’s your drink of choice? If you’re not, what is your impression of younger drinkers?