As Younger People Eschew Drinking, the Wine Industry Fights to Woo Them Back

More than 90 years after Congress repealed the 18th amendment, also known as Prohibition, and made consuming alcohol legal again, there’s a new temperance movement in town. The concept of “mindful drinking” has spread in popularity, especially among younger people. A 2023 Gallup Poll found that the number of adults under age 35 who drink has fallen by 10 points over the past two decades, from 72 percent to 62 percent. (By contrast, drinkers over the age of 55 have increased in the same period, from 49 percent to 59 percent.) 

“It is becoming clear that, for whatever reasons, today’s younger generations are just less interested in alcohol and are more likely than older generations to see it as risky for their health and to participate in periods of abstinence like Dry January,” said George Koob, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, in a statement. 

And while medical professionals largely agree that drinking less has big benefits, it’s not the healthiest situation for winemakers. Throw in the tariffs on goods from the European Union, and the result is a wine industry fighting for its life. 

In an attempt to reverse the trend, an organization called Come Together—A Community for Wine has begun campaigns to focus on favorable messaging, framing vino as a communal beverage with historical and cultural associations. Unlike unlicensed wellness influencers, the people who produce, sell, and write about the stuff cannot make any claims linking wine and health, so the group’s efforts center on positive, consumer-focused concepts. Think the social benefits of getting together with friends to enjoy a glass of wine. (To wit, instead of Sober October, the group has coined Come Over October.) 

Meanwhile, members of industry groups such as the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance are meeting with congresspeople to make them aware of the deleterious effects of wine tariffs on every sector of the industry. The 1,200 wine importers, 1,000 distributors, 47,500 wine and spirits retailers, and 350,000 independently owned restaurants in the United States who rely on the consumption of wine to keep their doors open need far more than a “this too shall pass” attitude to beat back the current headwinds. It’s important to remember that through wars, famines, droughts, and plagues, wine has brought flavor and joy to humans for more than 8,000 years. There’s no reason to believe it is going to disappear from our lives anytime soon.