Is Wine Falling out of favor in the USA??

I’ve made this post over at Beer Advocate, Linkedin Wine, Robin Garr’s WineLovers Forum and other local sites. I’ve been getting interesting feedback. Some like the trip down memory lane, some do feel as I do in that Wines have not move that much recently, but Beer and Spirits are making tremendous strides. I would love any feedback.

Here I am, a shade past 60 and then some. I started in the Wine/Liquor industry in the early
1970s, then embarked on a career with IBM from 1974 until I retired in 2009. During my IBM days, I was kept up to speed with Wines, running wine dinners, having wine parties, working at retail shop to run their wine tastings. Plus, I never stopped drinking wine for wine’s sake to better understand the terrior, the vine, the grape , the winemaker and finally the wine.

Back in the early 1970’s wine consisted of the fabulous French Bordeaux and Burgundies, the outstanding Italian noble wines, the famous Rhine’s and Mosel’s from Germany , and then of course the American Jug wine

I was fortunate enough to be trained by an aging sommelier. He spent hours with me discussing wines, tasting wines, classifying wines and much more. At the age of 24, I was very adept in my wine skills. I became president of the Long Island Chapter of Les Ami dVin and hosted countless number of large and very private expensive tastings.

Back then, it was also the cocktail era, so that the Gin’s, Rye’s and Scotch’s (Vodka was still a number of years away from being a mainstay) made their impacts. Of course you need to have a wide selection of cordials to satisfy any cocktail request.

Beer, your choices were Pabst, Schaffer, Miller and Rheingold. Several years later Anheuser-Busch started to become a household word.

Social drinking back then was divided into two major groups. The wine buffs who wouldn’t blink an eye at spending $45 for a wine just for the evening. And as always, the cocktail lovers made their presence.

So, from a retail point of view, inventory was concentrated in those areas. To round things off, a few jug wines from California, by a new company called Gallo, and from some of the New York State Finger lake sweet wines. Depending on where you owned your Liquor store, you would decide on what the ratio breakdown would be for all of these items.

FAST FORWARD…………. to the California Explosion!!

I think no one person had a greater impact on wines from California, and then Robert Mondavi had.
In the ‘60s, and the ‘70s California made its mark on the big jug wines. The ones you bring to picnics or at large family gatherings. Robert Mondavi in many ways was the pioneer who blazed the California wines on to the face of the earth. So many other wine masters followed his lead. I think it all came together when Chateau Montelna (California Chardonnay) won first prize in the 1976 International wine taste off. Before then, the Europeans looked down their noses at American wines. How, could a California vineyard top all the great French Chablis! Impossible, but it happened!

Wine had made it to the USA! Over the next 20 to 30 years there was an explosion of Californian wines, in fact wines from New York, Oregon started to hit the retail market. These wines were good, they were made in small batches, hand crafted wines, the love of a winemaker and its land.
This trend continued through the millennium and into the 201x’s. Nothing is going to stand in the way of the American consumer wanting the best wines at the best value. Wine bars opened up, Wine Forums and Blogs started to crop up everywhere. Magazines were filed with every type of wine advertisement of review you could think of.

When you went to dinner, the waiter would bring you the “Wine List” People wanted to know more about wines. Online classes started to crop up to satisfy the public’s thirst for the knowledge of wines.

The wine shops of the 20xx were classy, made to feel elite. The high priced wines were held up on pedestals or behind iron gates. There was a certain ambience that was felt in every store.

Stores began in house wine tastings. Not only to educate the consumer’s palate but to expose them to so many different wines. Wine Clubs cropped up everywhere. You could join any one of those online clubs and have different wines sent to your house.

The Corkscrew, The Bottle, The Wine was it is heyday in the USA!

People who think outside the box began to envision something so much more. Sam Adams brewery from Boston, MA made a bold stand in creating ‘crafted’ beers for the knowledgeable consumer. Sam Adams brewery opened the door for crafted beers just as Robert Mondavi did for Califironia wines.
Tthe wine drinkers in the ‘70s, ‘90s and more could speak about each grape, its characteristics, is bouquet,etc. Today, the avid beer enthusiast talks about Water ,Hops and Malt. After all, beer was so simple, German laws would allow beers to be brewed ONLY containing those 3 simple ingredients, nothing more. Today there are so many variations of Hops, Dry-Hopped, Wet-Hopped, what kind of malt to use and how much. The list of beer styles is longer than the list of wine styles.

That was ONLY the beginning. Small crafted breweries started to crop up all over the states. Each had a brewmaster who knew exactly what he/she wanted to make. Today, most Wine/Liquor/Beer stores have cooler space for new and upcoming beers. Its an explosion that still has not reached its peak.

In the overall scheme, making beer is easier to do then making wine. But that scheme is beginning to narrow. Why, because today’s brewmasters want to develop something different, more exciting than before. They are on a quest. Each week, we hear about new beers, new styles, etc. The correct glassware is also becoming standard when it comes to drinking beers. Today, we are a far cry from just opening a can of ice cold Coors.

Not to allow the ‘suds’ to take front lines, the liquor industry has expanded in every possible direction. Some of it being silly as in all the flavors of vodka there are today, along with every possible taste. One such liquor was a PB&J. Yes!, at the first sip it was peanut butter and on the way down, you could taste jelly.

Let’s put those ‘gimmicks’ aside and look at the serious art of distilled liquors. Just walk into any liquor store and browse over their spirits section. The days of 4Roses, Seagram’s and J&B have exploded just as beers have. Everyone is turning in various types of hand crafted whiskeys. It could be bourbon, a single malt scotch, a French whiskey, a white whiskey and so much more. There are so many different types of whiskeys out there now. There are new and innovative ways in distilling and aging liquor. Many sprits today are aged in wine oak barrels. This allows the whiskey to develop additional flavors. Just as the wine master formulated his style of wine, the spirit master does the same. We are a long way from the days that it was only 7&7s or Scotch and water.

Just like today’s beer drinkers, there is a huge following for different types of spirits. The Whiskey Advocate publication concentrates on all the new spirits and rates the products very much the way Wine Spectator rates the wines.

You can’t help but be caught up in this new wave. Its moving so fast and everyone wants a piece of it.
The age groups varies, from the mid 20’s to those in their 50’s and older.

People have always appreciated fine art works. Today, people are appreciating the efforts being put into making hand crafted beers or spirits. The labor of one persons vision on making a product is so very evident today. Almost every week, you will read about a new beer being made, a new type of whiskey being produced. Who would even think that Single Malt Scotch is now being made in Texas!

I have never seen so much enthusiasm and eagerness to learn . Today’s consumer wants to understand how one wine/beer/liquor master produces high quality products. They want to learn and know more and more about the various products.

We are experiencing sort of a new revolution in terms of alcoholic beverages. This era is growing rapidly and right now I do not see any end to it.

I’ve been associated with wines now for over 45 years. I still am a wine geek, I love wines. But, I have not seen any new exciting products to come out. Winemakers play with their blends, tweak this or that, but in reality nothing really new.

California has its Cabernet Sauvignon today as it did 40 years ago, just as Italy has their Chiantis.

“Blends” have been the more common new wines being produced. Its really just a twist on what the French have been doing for decades. Understanding French Bordeaux can be a long term project, but so very worthwhile. The French Bordeaux is a Blend. Depending on the winemaker and what they want to see, their wines have the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot grapes in various percentages. So, todays blends are doing what has been successfully done since the 1800’s

Stil, your wine shop will have the standards. The Cabernets, the Merlots, Red Zinfandel, Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, etc. Those grapes have been around for a long time. What you might see is how a country becomes the ‘popular’ on in wine production. After the USA, Australia opened a new range in products, then Chile, now Argentina…… But the wines are basically the same.

Are people going to get stale because there is nothing new and exciting in the wine market?

I hope not, wine is an art; it is something that should be appreciated and enjoyed. Pairing a wine with a specific meal creates a heavenly environment. I cannot think of anything more special that opening a fine bottle of wine, allowing it to come into the world and provide you with so many different senses, that it comes close to perfection


Hand crafted Beer and Liquor are now starting to do the same. I have been lucky enough to be part of this explosion. There have been beers and whiskeys that I have tasted over the past 18 months that I could never have imagined existed. The flavor, the boldness, the subtle taste, the lingering aftertastes, and so much very more.

So, are we seeing the fall of wines in the USA in favor of Beer and Liquor?

Ask me and I will just say, “NO……. We are just beginning to see an era where craftsmanship is a key word. Wines have always been there, now Beer and Spirits are exploding onto the market for everyone to enjoy.

Possibly. So many are being told these days that taste is not the most important things about wine they are saying screw it and drinking other things that taste good to them.

Statistically is that true? Is consumption of wine down in the US over the most recent decade?

Probably.

The issue is whether the recession is the key factor. From my perspective, (ITB), corporate accounts cut their spending on gifts at Christmas anywhere from half to 75%, which in most cases eliminated wine. Regular customers affected by the recession cut their spending, first by bottle cost, then by volume.

For the future, issues may include the higher cost of “fine” wines, but I’m seeing younger and younger people entering the wine trades at all levels and they are involving their friends. 24 year old came in today who works for a local winery. He bought his girlfriend a new decanter and some Cab glasses. She works at an upscale restaurant and they are both into wine.

The article was written by a conservative. (Are the conservatives the nay sayers?)

Per capita wine consumption in the USA in increasing consistently:

Year Total Wine per Resident 1 Total Wine Gallons Total Table Wine Gallons 2
2012 2.73 gals 856 million 749 million
2011 2.68 gals 836 million 724 million
2010 2.53 gals 784 million 681 million
2009 2.49 gals 763 million 666 million
2008 2.45 gals 746 million 650 million
2007 2.46 gals 742 million 647 million
2006 2.40 gals 717 million 628 million
2005 2.34 gals 691 million 609 million
2004 2.26 gals 665 million 589 million
2003 2.20 gals 639 million 570 million
2002 2.14 gals 617 million 552 million
2001 2.01 gals 574 million 512 million
2000 2.01 gals 568 million 507 million

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

The OP was too long to read. But the short answer to the question posed in the title is “no.”

To be honest I’m seeing more and more of my non-wine drinking friends start to drink wine opposed to a beer at happy hour.

Agree about the OP. I tried but couldn’t really finish.

Every statistic I’ve seen was like those Adam posted. Wine consumption in the U.S. in increasing. There seemed to be a big drop in prices in 2009 on the secondary market, and there were a lot of auction bargains, but those seem to have ceased. I’m not really sure what he is talking about.

No, all numbers indicate wine consumption is on the rise. But yes, craft beers and small boutique liquor labels are also growing. I didn’t read your whole article, but I don’t think you, as a wine geek, have anything to worry about.

Personally I am stuck on wine. There are great tasting beers out there, but for the most part, I find that once it is past the mouth, it feels more weighty on my stomach. In my younger days, this never seemed to bother me, but my body, now with wine as a baseline, seems not to like to get bogged down by a few beers. Whereas beer still tastes fine but seems heavy after a few, spirits really seem unpleasant to taste, especially critically. The alcohol in spirits is too much for me now, again with wine as a baseline. Beers tend to swamp my gut and the high alcohol in spirits swamps my palate for the most part. Wine fits nicely between the two. I enjoy the taste of wine and it does not feel like I have dropped anchor after a few glasses or even several glasses.
I suppose wine is truly a middle of the road alcoholic beverage. I don’t see how it could fall out of favor anytime soon because this beverage generally has more alcohol than beer, but far less than spirits and people I know seem to be arriving at this conclusion on their own. Replay this process over and over and this seems to be what I am observing with a fair amount of my own peer group. Some do share a passion for wine like me, but some are now drinking wine because of some of the same fundamental reasons I am trying to point out above. Many of my buddies (buds and chicks) are sticking with wine too, it seems. I have seen many friends move on from beer to white or wines (yeah yeah) to socially drinking more dry red wines. Some buds still drink beers for the most part too, but even they are drinking more wine than I remember them drinking 5-8 years ago!
In short, my observation is that wine is not falling out of favor at all in this little spot of the U.S. and A. where my associates and I are drinking socially. My first hand observation is that wine consumption is increasing within my peer group!

The War and Peace of wine posts?

Excuse me, you mentioned beer too…

Huh? I don’t know where you live or shop, but in major urban areas, this is dead wrong. There is a wider range of off-beat wines than ever – Texas cabernets, orange wines from Northeast Italy, all sorts of freaky things from the Jura, Chilean pinots, South African.

My two cents…

1. Wine is much more expensive to drink than a good craft beer or liquor. Let’s face it guys…we sink a lot of $ into this hobby / lifestyle of ours. If I’m John Q Public and have the option of buying a high quality 6-pack of beer (6 drinks) at $8-10 vs. a $40-50 bottle of wine (4.5 drinks), it’s easy math, all else being equal.

2. Good beer and liquor is much more widely available than good wine in restaurants and bars. You walk into any local bar and you’re likely to see a good regional craft beer on tap or in the bottle. Same with the higher end liquors. Wine? Good luck. It’s typically the garden supermarket variety AND when priced by the glass vs. a tap beer, it’s anywhere from 40-50% or higher in price than other options. You’re not going to incent many folks to move to wine when there are lower cost options available.

3. Consistency. I try a bottled craft beer or liquor at 5 different bars, it’s likely going to be consistently available and consistent in taste. Not true for wine. Even if the same wines are sold (they’re typically not), I might get a small pour of something that’s been sitting uncorked for 2 days, or if I’m lucky, something better. Some restaurants and bars do it right, but many do not.

In short, cost, supply, and consistency are, IMO, what tend to push wine to the bottom in terms of popularity and drive the trend further down. That all said, wine is my first choice, especially when it’s enjoying my own bottle or in the company of friends.

I conducted a poll.
Both my wife and I said “No”.

Seems to me that I’d heard reported recently that the United Stated just became the #1 consumer per capita of wine.

Mark,

Actually, not even close to #1 per capita in the world…but #1 in total consumption. Last time I checked USA was 52 in per capita wine consumption countries (Vatican City was #1).

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

I started wit micro brews in college and through my mid-30s. Then about 15-17 years ago, I discovered fine wine.

Game over.

I don’t think it is falling out of favor, but of the geeky subset of the population who like to obsess about minutiae some are definitely being diverted to beer instead of wine. So I’d estimate a small percentage decline in wine board participation for the next generation.

Also, for restaurants beers are becoming a more popular option (since they’re usually not so ridiculously overpriced as wine) so there will be a percentage decline there as well.

But it’s not a matter of replacement or even, I’d say, serious decline.

And honestly, there are so many new regions, producers, etc. I want to try that I can’t see getting bored. If anything I’ve reconciled myself the the knowledge that there are many wonderful wines that I will never really be familiar with.

First, I want to apologize for such a long post. As System Admin and Moderator for several sites, I always frown (and probably never read) long posts.
I made that posts in several forum sites to get some ideas and feeling about the subject.

One of the points I was attempting to make, was that while wine is still probably the most popular beverage in terms on package stores, forum sites, collectors, magazines and much more, there is a new revolution in terms of beers and spirits. Is not really new, but has begun to explode.

I’ve been around wines a long time and they still are my passion. I spend a good part of my work week, helping customers find wines, educating folks on various aspects of wine. 4 years ago (Started in the Wine/Liquor industry in 1970, then onto IBM for 35 years, retired in 2009) I probably spent close to 80% of my time with wine. Now, its about 65%, with the majority in beer, then spirits. This seems to be holding pretty true when I’ve talked with retailers in the Northeast.

Yes, there are many different types of wines, from all regions, etc. I was not trying to minimize whats out there. It was more to the point of stating that there really have not been many “New” and fresh ideas about wine recently. There may be some new faces and twists on the market, but a Cabernet is a Cabernet.

I have already had some very interesting feedback. From a major beer site, so many beer lovers still talk about their love of wine. On one of the most serious wine sites, I am getting about a 50-50 yes and no.

I will continue to read.

I find this assertion baffling. What would it take to qualify as “new” and “fresh”? New packaging with even more cutesy animal labels? More fortification? More de-alcoholization?

It sounds to me like you personally haven’t been interested in exploring the new wines that have come onto the U.S. market.