If we’re to believe the headlines, Gen Z – a.k.a. those born between 1996 and 2012 – spells doom for the wine industry. They’re health-conscious, sober-curious and not that interested in spending money on alcohol, according to the latest “State of the U.S. Wine Industry” report. The San Francisco Chronicle says that Gen Z-ers think of wine as 2024’s cigarette, while Fast Company says young drinkers are opting for hard seltzers, low-abv beverages, marijuana and non-alcoholic products over wine. The future sounds grim.
But Gen Z industry professionals aren’t wholesale shunning wine; they just feel misunderstood. “Ask people who are pessimistic about Gen Z what they were doing when they were our age,” says Cokie Ponikvar, the 22-year-old wine vlogger behind the social media account @CokiesWorldofWine. “I bet they weren’t drinking Burgundy.”
So what are the new guard of drinkers excited about? Below, we unpack the trends defining Gen Z wine culture.
Embracing – not just acknowledging – sustainable practices
This generation is watching the devastating effects of climate change unfold in real time, so it’s understandable that sustainability is important to 75% of them. They care more about environmental practices than brand names.
“In our wine club, climate conversation has been a huge topic, from seminars we’re hosting to questions we’re getting from our students,” says Quinn Bader, an MBA candidate at UCLA Anderson School of Management and the president of the school’s wine club.
“My friends focus on what goes into the product, whether it’s the farming, packaging or sustainability measures,” explains Rachel Bordes, assistant winemaker at Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma. “These are values we don’t mind paying for.”
But sustainability needs to be more than a slogan. “My generation isn’t just impressed with sustainability—we expect it,” says Jess Druey, founder of the online wine shop Whiny Baby. “Whenever we see companies unveil socially responsible taglines as this big ‘tada’—we think, okay, do you want a reward for doing what’s right?”
Plus, they seem to have a sixth sense for greenwashing. “I’m cautious of when brands expect Gen Z to love them because they donate 10% of their sales—it seems forced,” says Sophia Miller, a Gen Z digital assistant account manager at wine communications firm Colangelo & Partners. “I’d far rather see brands focus on people- and land-driven stories. I think that will help Gen Z understand why winemaking is such a cool thing.”
Exploring new regions
Carlos Rones, a former sommelier who currently works at Kirkcrest Imports, says that his Gen Z friends are all inquisitive and excited to try new things, wine included.
“They’re adventurous,” Rones says. “This should be exciting to our industry.” He’s seeing growth in interest in international regions—Portugal, Spain and New Zealand especially. Gen Z came of age in an economically tight time, Rones notes, and while a plane ticket might not be accessible, a bottle of wine from a dream destination might be.
In UCLA’s wine club, Bader notices that smaller producers and bottles from non-traditional locales get a lot of attention. “There’s a huge interest in trying wines from Scandinavia to China to Japan,” he says.
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