Excellent commentary. So, basically, we should just leave wine alone and not worry about Gen Z? I can get behind that, but I wonder -- to whom do I direct reviews of two very drinkable wines from the Douro Valley that cost $15. What tone do I take? These wines would be ideal for impecunious consumers under the age of 30, but I recognize that BTYH is read mostly by older, more experienced wine drinkers, who might say, "Oh, leave these $15 wines to the kids." I don't know if this is a dilemma or a conundrum, but there it is.
An excellent point you make, FK! I think we need to get better as an industry about getting that information about accessible & inexpensive wines in front of younger generations. Likely involves changing the medium (from print to audio/video) to some extent as well as innovating the way wine is presented to better convey the unique qualities that make wine special.
You can tell me- I specialize in Portuguese wines and always love to hear what Portuguese wines people find near them. The majority of people that I sell those amazing priced Portuguese wines to are over 50. But love a deal on good wine. Vinho Verde white and rosé wines are usually even cheaper in America and those are what I can get those younger generations to try first from Portugal to ease their trust into a new region.
I think the 'prolonged adolescence' of modern Western life affecting 40 & youngers is a major factor here. An interesting note that Gen Z'ers and Millennials are purchasing more expensive bottles (on the whole) than older generations, but fewer of them. Seems like a promising indicator of their purchasing habits once they become more mature & financially secure.
I agree with you completely that it would be an unforgiveable mistake to abandon the nuance of wine that makes it so special and distinguishes it from lesser beverages. Additionally, our society is in dire need of what the best of wine culture has to offer: connection, face to face conversation, shared meals at table, and a sense of the divine.
Tom, I couldn't agree more. Wine is aspirational, mysterious at times, and prompts Intellectual curiosity. Which there is all too little of today. Let's keep Wine and embrace it for the eons of history it represents. Wine is why I haven't drunk Beer in decades. thanks for the excellent writing on this.
Hey Fred! So great to run into you! I'm about finished drafting a book on wine industry politics -- a couple of chapters to go and then through the editing process with editor so it's not going out soon. At 91 I'm still going strong but sure want to finish this damned book so I can retire and read books. bill mciver
“Coming into the wine business as we did without aspiration for the business or depth of knowledge to expound upon, we connected with consumers on their level, presented wine as a traditional accompaniment to meals and promoted it as a farm product, produced by thousands of ordinary farmers and a few hundred vintners, who themselves were farmers.
We found three types of consumers at these events. The majority were wine lovers, genuinely curious, wanting to understand the winemaking process, taste with experts, and enhance their enjoyment of wine. A few were wine geeks who went beyond simply loving wine to an eccentric level of knowledge about the history of grapes, winemaking and wines around the world. Geeks were tolerable and teachers. And then there were wine snobs – a disgusting nuisance. Geeks shared knowledge appropriately. Snobs showed off their knowledge, industry connections, and made wine complicated and mysterious. Geeks, for example, might explain the intricacies of Bordeaux winemaking if that was a topic of discussion. Snobs would tell winemakers they shouldn’t filter their wines.”
Good for you, Tom. It's about time somebody stated the obvious. Sparkling chocolate-flavored Cabernet in a can is not going to save the industry, and even if it worked, why would I want to make it? If the "pop" consumer cohort that doesn't grasp what wine really is, then good riddance. Let's make wine for people that "get it."
I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I think we shouldn't get too bogged down on the memes/taglines that culture settles on around an issue. Calls to "Demystify" or "Simplify" wine, much like "Defund the Police", these are word choices that get people fired up, we then argue the words while ignoring the core reason the phrase was invented in the first place.
Younger generations do, generally speaking, require an on-ramp to wine, wine needs to be present and a part of their milieu even if they rarely partake of it in the youth. Most of the people I've met that are wine professionals and/or deeply into the product grew up in wine country, had family or close friends in food and beverage if not wine specifically. The moment you step outside this subsection, the vast, vast majority of adults are completely baffled and feel like they're perpetually at an arm's legth to wine. This tells me that the issue stems largely from a lack of exposure. A lack of literal accessibility.
You mentioned Taylor Swift, but don't worry about her starting a tiktok on wine, just get wine at her concerts - embrace wine-in-cans, get them at all LiveNation events, these days can technology allows for quality wine to go in those cans. We now know they keep and can age well enough in cans. Especially if its wine that was made in stainless steel - put it in a can and make it something PRESENT in young people's lives. The curiosity won't take hold without the exposure. The exposure won't happen if wine isn't a reasonable beverage to serve in venues young people inhabit.
Wine "knowledge" isn't necessary until someone wants to seek it out. But no one is going to want to seek it out if wine isn't a part of their lives to begin with. Get wine to go beyond Michelin restaurants, tasting rooms, and wine country, if you want people who don't frequent these places to someday want to.
Excellent points, Dave (I'll postpone my call to Taylor).
I think there isn't a great deal a consumer needs to understand about wine to feel educated and invested. Confidence levels increase exponentially when they know 1) the character and quality of wine depends on the environment, what to expect form 7 or 8 different varietals, how appellations work and what they mean. This alone is far more than what most folks know about wine and once they do understand these things they feel educated. If they want more, Lord knows the info is out there.
I'm not sure I agree in this point. Wine Business Monthly had a column a couple years back that surveyed people and their opinions to wine. The underlying results were something to the effect of wine is too complicated, too expensive, to snobby and too white.
As an industry if we ignore this feedback we will become more and more irrelevant. Dave Baxters point is spot on in that we need to make wine accessible and attractive to a new generation. We all had that first wine that was our gateway in. Beringer White Zin! Today not so much, but 35 years ago it was cheap, fun, easy drinking and accessible everywhere.
General Z does enjoy wine and are remarkably educated compared to myself at that age. There is ten times the competition from other products. So yes to this point Tom you are correct. Keep our quality and standards, but meet Gen Z where there at
Tom this is a fantastic thought-provoking piece. BTW, I have asked many people in the industry to define an "accessible" wine. There doesn't seem to be a consensus.
Thought provoking piece. Your definition of “accessible” seems to be different than many people I talk to about this topic. In my discussions with other young people who drink great wine, accessibility means having easier access to the kind of wines we want to drink - not dumbing the wine down or making it less exclusive. There is actually great evidence to suggest that the under 40 age group wants exclusivity in their wine drinking experiences. The disconnect is where these wines are served vs where young people are, sort of like Dave was commenting on earlier. I talked with Henna Bakshi, editor at Eater South, about this in relation to an article she wrote about private membership wine clubs popping up in many Atlanta neighborhoods. Their success is driven by being strategically placed in neighborhoods where affluent young professionals live and work, offering an experience that is free of guesswork- great wine, great food, a guaranteed seat at the table. This is what accessibility means to many.
Something to explore…
I have much more I’d like to comment on this. Let’s talk.
This is the first article of your newsletter that I read and, having written not one but two Master Theses on this topic, I find your statement very refreshing. Nevertheless, as a Gen Z wine professional myself, I think there are some nuances to be added to your reasoning, especially regarding the connection between wine's complexity and its openness to the younger consumers: simplifying wine does not have to be achieved by killing its complexity. It doesn't mean disregarding the specialized wine language but offering additional ways, tones and tools to talk about and understand wine, terroir, its production processes and so on.
I think us as marketers have the power to partially 'desmystify' wine consumption and the wine industry, to make it more intriguing, accessible and enjoyable for a more diverse public (whatever be their generation).
Loved this piece. Wine doesn’t need to be simplified or explained anymore or in a new way- that information is out there- loads of it. Wine shops can let their younger customers know where to find it all. I don’t feel annoyed when I was a beer and RedBull vodka drinking youth that no one held my hand and showed me all I was confused about in the wine world. I did what those of us who grew up without the internet our whole lives did. I researched it myself. It seems there is a lot of hand holding that needs to be done for the generations who always had internet accessibility- which seems wild.
Certainly biased as a wine-educated 20-something, but are wine complexity and appeal to younger consumers really as diametrically opposed as you suggest? For me, complexity is an avenue to a good story - the more complex, the better the story. Can we not just focus on finding and telling fantastic stories more for new consumers (regardless of age)? The wines with truly interesting stories are undoubtedly complex and serious as well.
Well stated.
Agree to a point. But complexity shouldn’t equate to expensive. There’s a lot of excellent — and complex— wine at $15 or $20
Excellent commentary. So, basically, we should just leave wine alone and not worry about Gen Z? I can get behind that, but I wonder -- to whom do I direct reviews of two very drinkable wines from the Douro Valley that cost $15. What tone do I take? These wines would be ideal for impecunious consumers under the age of 30, but I recognize that BTYH is read mostly by older, more experienced wine drinkers, who might say, "Oh, leave these $15 wines to the kids." I don't know if this is a dilemma or a conundrum, but there it is.
An excellent point you make, FK! I think we need to get better as an industry about getting that information about accessible & inexpensive wines in front of younger generations. Likely involves changing the medium (from print to audio/video) to some extent as well as innovating the way wine is presented to better convey the unique qualities that make wine special.
You can tell me- I specialize in Portuguese wines and always love to hear what Portuguese wines people find near them. The majority of people that I sell those amazing priced Portuguese wines to are over 50. But love a deal on good wine. Vinho Verde white and rosé wines are usually even cheaper in America and those are what I can get those younger generations to try first from Portugal to ease their trust into a new region.
Well put (as usual), TW!
I think the 'prolonged adolescence' of modern Western life affecting 40 & youngers is a major factor here. An interesting note that Gen Z'ers and Millennials are purchasing more expensive bottles (on the whole) than older generations, but fewer of them. Seems like a promising indicator of their purchasing habits once they become more mature & financially secure.
I agree with you completely that it would be an unforgiveable mistake to abandon the nuance of wine that makes it so special and distinguishes it from lesser beverages. Additionally, our society is in dire need of what the best of wine culture has to offer: connection, face to face conversation, shared meals at table, and a sense of the divine.
Tom, I couldn't agree more. Wine is aspirational, mysterious at times, and prompts Intellectual curiosity. Which there is all too little of today. Let's keep Wine and embrace it for the eons of history it represents. Wine is why I haven't drunk Beer in decades. thanks for the excellent writing on this.
Hey Fred! So great to run into you! I'm about finished drafting a book on wine industry politics -- a couple of chapters to go and then through the editing process with editor so it's not going out soon. At 91 I'm still going strong but sure want to finish this damned book so I can retire and read books. bill mciver
100% with you on this one, Tom.
Copyright William B. McIver
Confidential
Chapter 9
Sales and Marketing
“Coming into the wine business as we did without aspiration for the business or depth of knowledge to expound upon, we connected with consumers on their level, presented wine as a traditional accompaniment to meals and promoted it as a farm product, produced by thousands of ordinary farmers and a few hundred vintners, who themselves were farmers.
We found three types of consumers at these events. The majority were wine lovers, genuinely curious, wanting to understand the winemaking process, taste with experts, and enhance their enjoyment of wine. A few were wine geeks who went beyond simply loving wine to an eccentric level of knowledge about the history of grapes, winemaking and wines around the world. Geeks were tolerable and teachers. And then there were wine snobs – a disgusting nuisance. Geeks shared knowledge appropriately. Snobs showed off their knowledge, industry connections, and made wine complicated and mysterious. Geeks, for example, might explain the intricacies of Bordeaux winemaking if that was a topic of discussion. Snobs would tell winemakers they shouldn’t filter their wines.”
Good for you, Tom. It's about time somebody stated the obvious. Sparkling chocolate-flavored Cabernet in a can is not going to save the industry, and even if it worked, why would I want to make it? If the "pop" consumer cohort that doesn't grasp what wine really is, then good riddance. Let's make wine for people that "get it."
Wine in a Can, Wine in a Can, there are some things in life I don't understand!
I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I think we shouldn't get too bogged down on the memes/taglines that culture settles on around an issue. Calls to "Demystify" or "Simplify" wine, much like "Defund the Police", these are word choices that get people fired up, we then argue the words while ignoring the core reason the phrase was invented in the first place.
Younger generations do, generally speaking, require an on-ramp to wine, wine needs to be present and a part of their milieu even if they rarely partake of it in the youth. Most of the people I've met that are wine professionals and/or deeply into the product grew up in wine country, had family or close friends in food and beverage if not wine specifically. The moment you step outside this subsection, the vast, vast majority of adults are completely baffled and feel like they're perpetually at an arm's legth to wine. This tells me that the issue stems largely from a lack of exposure. A lack of literal accessibility.
You mentioned Taylor Swift, but don't worry about her starting a tiktok on wine, just get wine at her concerts - embrace wine-in-cans, get them at all LiveNation events, these days can technology allows for quality wine to go in those cans. We now know they keep and can age well enough in cans. Especially if its wine that was made in stainless steel - put it in a can and make it something PRESENT in young people's lives. The curiosity won't take hold without the exposure. The exposure won't happen if wine isn't a reasonable beverage to serve in venues young people inhabit.
Wine "knowledge" isn't necessary until someone wants to seek it out. But no one is going to want to seek it out if wine isn't a part of their lives to begin with. Get wine to go beyond Michelin restaurants, tasting rooms, and wine country, if you want people who don't frequent these places to someday want to.
Excellent points, Dave (I'll postpone my call to Taylor).
I think there isn't a great deal a consumer needs to understand about wine to feel educated and invested. Confidence levels increase exponentially when they know 1) the character and quality of wine depends on the environment, what to expect form 7 or 8 different varietals, how appellations work and what they mean. This alone is far more than what most folks know about wine and once they do understand these things they feel educated. If they want more, Lord knows the info is out there.
I'm not sure I agree in this point. Wine Business Monthly had a column a couple years back that surveyed people and their opinions to wine. The underlying results were something to the effect of wine is too complicated, too expensive, to snobby and too white.
As an industry if we ignore this feedback we will become more and more irrelevant. Dave Baxters point is spot on in that we need to make wine accessible and attractive to a new generation. We all had that first wine that was our gateway in. Beringer White Zin! Today not so much, but 35 years ago it was cheap, fun, easy drinking and accessible everywhere.
General Z does enjoy wine and are remarkably educated compared to myself at that age. There is ten times the competition from other products. So yes to this point Tom you are correct. Keep our quality and standards, but meet Gen Z where there at
Although solidly a millennial, Taylor Swift is well kniwn to enjoy wine — notably Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.
Tom this is a fantastic thought-provoking piece. BTW, I have asked many people in the industry to define an "accessible" wine. There doesn't seem to be a consensus.
I think "accessible" must mean cheap and without long words on the label.
Thought provoking piece. Your definition of “accessible” seems to be different than many people I talk to about this topic. In my discussions with other young people who drink great wine, accessibility means having easier access to the kind of wines we want to drink - not dumbing the wine down or making it less exclusive. There is actually great evidence to suggest that the under 40 age group wants exclusivity in their wine drinking experiences. The disconnect is where these wines are served vs where young people are, sort of like Dave was commenting on earlier. I talked with Henna Bakshi, editor at Eater South, about this in relation to an article she wrote about private membership wine clubs popping up in many Atlanta neighborhoods. Their success is driven by being strategically placed in neighborhoods where affluent young professionals live and work, offering an experience that is free of guesswork- great wine, great food, a guaranteed seat at the table. This is what accessibility means to many.
Something to explore…
I have much more I’d like to comment on this. Let’s talk.
This is the first article of your newsletter that I read and, having written not one but two Master Theses on this topic, I find your statement very refreshing. Nevertheless, as a Gen Z wine professional myself, I think there are some nuances to be added to your reasoning, especially regarding the connection between wine's complexity and its openness to the younger consumers: simplifying wine does not have to be achieved by killing its complexity. It doesn't mean disregarding the specialized wine language but offering additional ways, tones and tools to talk about and understand wine, terroir, its production processes and so on.
I think us as marketers have the power to partially 'desmystify' wine consumption and the wine industry, to make it more intriguing, accessible and enjoyable for a more diverse public (whatever be their generation).
Loved this piece. Wine doesn’t need to be simplified or explained anymore or in a new way- that information is out there- loads of it. Wine shops can let their younger customers know where to find it all. I don’t feel annoyed when I was a beer and RedBull vodka drinking youth that no one held my hand and showed me all I was confused about in the wine world. I did what those of us who grew up without the internet our whole lives did. I researched it myself. It seems there is a lot of hand holding that needs to be done for the generations who always had internet accessibility- which seems wild.
Certainly biased as a wine-educated 20-something, but are wine complexity and appeal to younger consumers really as diametrically opposed as you suggest? For me, complexity is an avenue to a good story - the more complex, the better the story. Can we not just focus on finding and telling fantastic stories more for new consumers (regardless of age)? The wines with truly interesting stories are undoubtedly complex and serious as well.