Around the Bluhmin’ Town

By

Judy Bluhm

Are the days of wine and roses over? Perhaps. Wine consumption for Americans is in decline. Wineries are closing in Napa Valley, at an alarming rate. Evidently, boomers are to blame. All those lovely wine glasses, once clinking over dinners, at bars, at home, at backyard gatherings, are now being replaced by beer, water or only God knows what. Is this because we are getting healthy?

According to wine experts, the answer is “not necessarily.” Americans who love wine are the “older folks” and they are dying off. No other generation seems to be as enamored over having a glass of wine, as people of a “certain age.” And that age would be over sixty-five. Generations Z and millennials do not care about tipping glasses together. Hold the chardonnay! Forget the pinot grigio. Instead, how about a canned cocktail or spirit-based seltzer. Or simply a non-alcoholic beverage?

Yep, evidence reveals that younger generations are moving away from barstools to barbells. What could be healthier and more fun, then meeting your date at the gym, then going for a five-mile run and later having a matcha latte? The future of booze is suddenly uncertain. People are “ghosting” the glass of wine and working on being “mindful” of what they put into their bodies. In fact, younger folks often claim the taste of wine is “gross.”

There is a term for drinking lea alcohol. It is called a “sober-curious” lifestyle, replacing alcohol’s social role with coffee culture and functional drinks. The “functional” aspect implies drinks infused with vitamins, proteins and botanicals. Have you tried Ashwagandha lately? It is so relaxing and a stress-reliever. Perhaps Boba or bubble tea? Get energy. Oh, and a mocktail is a non-alcoholic beverage that mimics a cocktail. Tasty with no hangover.

The entire global wine industry is experiencing a severe downturn. Consumption is down by over twelve percent in the past five years. More importantly, it is not just wine sales that are in a freefall. Alcohol usage in the U.S. has been in decline since the 1970s. Today, 54 percent of Americans say they consume alcohol, which is the lowest number in nearly ninety years and a whopping 13 percent drop since 2022!

In other words, attitudes have changed. Many people who believe that moderate drinking was harmless, now view alcohol carrying health risks. More teenagers and young adults are saying “no thanks” to drinking.” Maybe like the old days of cigarette smoking, drinking has become so “yesterday” and old-fashioned.

Yet, wine drinkers rarely focus on the alcohol content. They care more about the experience – how wine has long been woven into the fabric of celebrations, gatherings and shared moments. There was something romantic about ordering a bottle of wine at dinner at a swanky restaurant. Or celebrating a special occasion with a bit of bubbly.

And who knew that drinking wine is a “boomer thing?” Let’s not whine about wine being an “old person’s” libation. I must try a mocktail and give you a report. Cheers . . .to better health.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Contact Judy at [email protected] or visit www.aroundthebluhmintown.com