New research commissioned by Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris into intergenerational wine consumption says only 26 per cent of regular wine drinkers are between 18 and 39 (gen Z and Millennials) versus 48 per cent aged 55-plus (Boomers). Gen X and Boomers see wine as integral to their informal, daily routine; gen Z views wine as an accessory to highly social, festive moments. Millennials sit somewhere between the two, opting for wine on special occasions but also for taste and relaxation.

Also, gen Z and Millennials have a finely tuned appreciation for which drinks fit which consumption moments, drawing on a much wider beverage repertoire than older consumers.

Gen Z, for example, regularly consumes white spirits, cocktails, beer and cider, whereas, for Boomers, the list of regular wine alternatives shrinks to just beer and gin.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s the first prerequisite for any wine-drinker interested in expanding their palate. The question is, where do you go from here?

The good news is that your choices are limitless. You only need to move a metre or two off of the beaten track to discover the richness of the wine. It may also provide relief from the relentless gouging going on in the mainstream market.

There is far too much junk wine in the marketplace and way too much overpriced price wine in the system, so any decline in sales may be just what is required to correct the category. Furthermore, wine does not need to be for everybody and hence doesn’t have to be watered down in flavour or discussion to widen its audience.

Anthony Gismondi

Remember, the curiosity mentioned above and a sense of adventure are all that is required to escape the dross of everyday wine.