The new rules of wine: why Gen Z is changing the way we sip

MINDFUL MERLOT

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

LET’S be honest: popping a bottle of wine on a Sunday afternoon used to feel like a ritual - one that was passed down, quietly and without question.

But these days, something’s shifting.

In wine cellars, tasting rooms and even on Instagram feeds, a quiet revolution is brewing, one that’s less about drinking more and more about drinking mindfully. And it’s Gen Z leading the charge.

According to a 2023 Wine Intelligence report, global wine consumption has dipped by 7.5% over the past two decades. Europe, once the heartbeat of global wine drinking, has seen a staggering 24% decline between 2010 and 2020. But don’t mistake this drop as a crisis. Instead, it reflects a cultural reset, and wine is being rewritten. We're seeing younger wine lovers choosing bottles with intention, says Carryn Wiltshire, the marketing manager at Steenberg Wines in Cape Town.

It’s not about indulgence anymore, it’s about alignment. They want wines that mirror their values: wellness, sustainability and authenticity.

The rise of conscious drinking