Consumption of wine in the US has been falling rapidly, to the dismay of those working in the wine business. Some figures show there has been a drop of as much as 20 per cent over the past four years. This follows a period of sustained growth lasting 50 years. The baby boomers embraced wine, as did Gen X, and many assumed this would continue with Gen Z. It hasn’t.
There are two reasons for the drop in wine sales. First, there has been an overall fall in alcohol consumption. The younger generation drinks less alcohol than their parents or doesn’t drink at all. Many see alcohol as unhealthy. The decline in alcohol consumption is across the board including beer, cider and spirits, but it is more pronounced with wine. A recent Gallup poll found that 54 per cent of Americans did not drink any wine in 2025. This is the highest such level recorded in this century.
Secondly, various studies have found that many younger consumers are switching from wine to alternative drinks, such as spirits, RTDs (ready to drink cocktails). These premixed drinks constitute the one sector that is growing. Unlike wine, they come in manageable amounts for one person and don’t require a corkscrew or any other paraphernalia. Wine is a complex subject and can be difficult to understand. Perhaps the cult of the sommelier has had the effect of making wine too complicated and turns off younger would-be drinkers.
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Lastly, many American consumers have switched to smoking cannabis, now fully legal in 24 states, and decriminalised in another seven. Consumption of cocaine has also increased within a certain cohort.
Will the same thing happen in Ireland? It seems probable, as overall consumption of alcohol has been dropping for the last two decades. Wine sales in the State have has been static over the last few years, but wine consumption worldwide is falling, and we seem likely to follow. The OIV (The International Organisation of Vine and Wine) figures show consumption is now at the lowest level since 1961.
Prices here and elsewhere have risen steeply over the last five years, spurred on by a variety of factors. Extreme heat and heavy rainfall have led to a decrease in production. There have been glass shortages, and transport costs have increased. The OIV figures show that the consumer is now paying about 30 per cent more for a bottle now than in 2019-2020 and overall consumption has fallen by 12 per cent since then.
Does it matter? Drinking too much alcohol is unhealthy and this includes wine. A drop in consumption might lead to consumers drinking less but better wine. Certainly, there are vast swathes of vineyard that should not have been planted given a shortage of water or difficult climate.
