It seems that wine is really in with the 20's crowd and they're a changing force in the market. Starting around 2003 their impact on the industry started to show. The "Millennial Generation" love wine, and what they like isn't all big Cali Cabs or Oaky Chards. For them it's all about fun and offbeat wines like Malbecs from Argentina or a Tempranillo from Spain. And I can relate. These are the wines I love. Sure I'll dive into an Old Vine Zin, or Big Bold Cab, but show me something new, interesting, and different, like a golden and lively Ribolla Gialla , a Sangiovese blend from Maremma, or a dry sparkling wine like Gruet from New Mexico; and I'm all over it.As one of the early Gen X crowd, sometimes called Gen Jones, I saw the whole change in the wine industry first hand; working in wine shops in the NYC area in my late teens and early 20's. When I started, French wine was it. Old world, elegant and refined, somewhat snooty; and not very accessible. Boring, just like the older Baby Boomers before me who had brought back an interest in wine to the US. These were wines that seemed more for show than enjoyment. (The younger Baby Boomers were more into vodka and illicit substances.) To a few of us young Gen X'ers, German whites, dry or sweet; were daring and fun. Most of the rest had a White Zin as their first wine, sort of a Gateway Wine that led to trying something a bit more serious, but not stuffy. Californian wines started to make a showing, and slowly took over to become the Big Jock on the Block. Later The Aussies stepped up to the plate where they overwhelmed the world with good wine at a low price and in Quantity. The wine industry keeps tabs on these trends and just love where it's heading.
So you tell me. Wine? What do you like? What Generation are you? Baby Boomer, Gen Jones, Gen X, Gen Y otherwise known as the Millennials?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-17-2008 @ 6:30PM
hans stam said...
I myself like Australian wine but after 5 months spent in China I think quality (and quantity) Chinese wine might hit the western market real soon. It will be the same with beer (tsingtao).
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3-17-2008 @ 7:15PM
Barry said...
I actually like the Cali wines (Ridge, Hess, Cannonball, etc.) and not just because I live there. I would like them to ease off on the amount of alcohol in the final product though (16% - really?).
That said, I also love Temperanillo and Rioja wines, have a hard time finding an French or Italian red I love but do like the minerally French whites. Aussies are hit or miss for me. New Zealand whites are good. Oh, and I'm late Gen X (39?).
Too funny about the Gateway wine. Was true of me and everyone I know though it probably really started with Bartles & James Wine Coolers back when they were actually made with wine.
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3-17-2008 @ 8:00PM
jackiecat said...
Baby boomer here! I love a buttery oakey chardonnay and an Australian Shiraz. And any grassy crisp Sauvillon Blanc, from wherever!
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3-18-2008 @ 9:16AM
JMForester said...
hans- I am really interested in the whole Chine/wines thing. I have a friend who spent time in China as a winery / vineyard consultant teaching them how to make fine wines and how to manage vineyards. He wasn't that confident that they would be able to make good wine in the next 10-15 years.
As for beer, Tsing Tao has been in the US market for decades and is coming on big as of a year or two ago. Not that I think it's a great beer, but as far as light beers go its ok.
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3-18-2008 @ 4:01PM
Ima Wurdibitsch said...
I had to look at the definitions to find out that I'm part of Gen-X.
Wine was available with dinner when I was growing up but I was never really a fan of it. The first wine I tried and liked was Lancer's Rose, a sweetish, sparkling wine. The wine coolers and white zins followed in my late teens and early twenties. Over time, they began to seem too sweet and cloying and I started experimenting with other wines.
For several years, if it wasn't a big, bold, and somewhat tannin-y red, I wasn't really that interested. Fortunately, my best friend's mother-in-law and the folks at my local wine shop encouraged me to try other wines. I started out with a few recommendations and went from there. If I was at a restaurant with an interesting wine list, I'd ask for a recommendation to accompany my meal.
Now, I love experimenting with different wines, challenging myself to come up with the perfect wine for each course. While still not a huge fan of the sweeter wines, I have found a few I like, especially in the dessert wines. I still prefer the non-sweet wines but Malbec, Bonardo, Tempranillo, Gruner Veltliner, Rioja, Marsanne, Grenache, and blends have joined the cabs, pinots, and zins on my wine rack.
Thanks to food and wine bloggers and reviews from various online newspapers, I'm willing to try just about anything these days.
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3-18-2008 @ 4:01PM
Numb said...
I'm 23 and I'm a wine fan. As for my preference, I pretty much like anything big, bold, and red that isn't too tannic tasting.
I'll admit though that I'm much more interested in great craft beer than wine though. A nice red high malt low hop beer hits the spot like nothing else.
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