Making Wine Fun Again

One winemaker says "look inward," and another says "Let's Dance"

Wine is fun. Fun to me is encountering new wines, exploring new wine regions, discovering a great wine and food combination, and sharing tasting experiences with others. We recently formed a wine tasting group which my wife, Ginny, innocently began referring to as WTF, meaning wine tasting friends.

Many friends both in and outside the group have been wondering WTF is going on with all the bad news about the wine business. There is a worldwide downturn in the wine market. Sales are in a nosedive, including winery direct sales. Vineyards are being removed, and in the 2025 harvest, many vineyards in France and the West Coast were not harvested. The wine news is all so negative and for many in the business it has to be depressing for sure.

Unfortunately, the way most people in the wine biz are dealing with the downturn is to play the blame game. Gen-Zers, Millennials, fancy cocktails, anti-alcohol messages, inflation, stagnation, tarrifs…the list goes on. All of this finger pointing does not change the fact that wine consumption is on a serious downward path.

Rather than looking for excuses and blaming outsiders, maybe the wine industry should look inward.

Looking Inward

In an open letter to his wine industry colleagues, Oded Shakked owner of Longboard Vineyards and a veteran winemaker in Sonoma County does just that and begins with this plea:

“Can we please stop blaming Millenials for not drinking enough wine?” He then says: “Millennials aren’t dumb” and goes on to make a case in some detail. His main point, one I agree with 100% is this:

“Maybe they don’t need a somm-certification; maybe they just need wine that doesn’t come with a lecture and a superiority complex.”

He concludes: Millennials aren’t killing wine. They’re killing the nonsense around it and they are not buying the “exclusivity” BS we have been selling for years.” You can read his entire letter on his Facebook page and on linkedin.

Now for the message that really resonated with me. Oded adds: “ Here’s a wild idea: maybe wine should go back to being enjoyable.”

Making Wine Fun Again

What a crazy idea which also happens to be another one I totally agree with. The reasons behind the downturn in wine sales are complicated for sure. Expanding on Oded’s thoughts, I think the perception of wine as a luxury item promoted by the corporate thinkers was a mistake. Restaurants happily went along with that and upped the price to often absurd levels, led by wine by the glass prices. $25 for a glass of Rombauer Chardonnay? No thanks, I’ll have a martini.

So how can wineries make wine fun again? Obviously, by countering the high-minded exclusivity message and offering wines at reasonable prices. And then keep it simple by pushing the having fun message when marketing and promoting their wines.

Face the Music and Dance

Exhibit A for me is a small winery that is expanding its “value line” of wines that focus on dancing puns:

Pedro Guillermo by Peter William “Syrah-Cha-Cha” Rogue Valley (Oregon) Syrah 2023 $19.50

This Cha-Cha wine joins the dance group kicked off by the “Tempranillo Tango.” The dance troupe includes “Robin’s Rumba.” All three wines are priced the same and convey the message that wine is fun and to be shared. It is a healthy message that needs to be re-affirmed. Thanks to Dr. Peter Adesman and his wife, Dr. Robin Miller, who is the inspiration behind these wines. That fun message comes through loud and clear with their dance-inspired line of wines.

As for the Cha-Cha wine, it is delicious. Made from the estate vineyard and blended with a splash of Tempranillo, it is an approachable Syrah, ready to be enjoyed now. The color is dark and the dark fruit and spicy aroma emerges quickly with a little swirling. It is smooth and plush on the palate with lively flavors and good balance. Yes, “swirling” is a hard word to avoid using here and good balance is key to success for both a wine and a dancer. 90

Pedro Guillermo by Peter William Rogue Valley (Oregon) Sauvignon Blanc 2024 $15

Under the sub-title of “Sauvignon Salsa,” this appealing Sauvignon Blanc glides nicely across the palate. With a little swirling, the aroma offers up citrus, green apple and a hint of grassiness. It is smooth and round on the palate and delivers plenty of ripe melon and apple flavors. Overall, this offers genuine uncomplicated Sauvignon Blanc character at an appealing price point. 88

Under the Peter William label, the winery offers a range of Rhone wines that are excellent values.

Peter William Vineyard Rogue Valley (Oregon) GSM 2023 $30

This is an attractive, vibrant GSM ready to be enjoyed now. Made from 37% Grenache, 42% Syrah, and 21% Mourvedre, it was aged 20 months in neutral french oak. The three components work seamlessly together as a team with the Grenache contributing raspberry and cherry aromatics, the Syrah adding depth and light pepper and spicy flavors, and the Mourvedre holding it all together while adding an earthy note. With soft tannins in the background, the lengthy finish is all about vibrant, delicious fruit.

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Peter William Vineyard Rogue Valley (Oregon) Daisy Creek Vineyard Viognier 2024 $30

Another successful Viognier from the Daisy Creek Vineyard that captures all of the good things about Viognier and none of its excesses. This 2024 was fermented in neutral oak and aged on the lees for 4 months, and its lovely aroma combines lychee, honeysuckle with a hint of ginger.

Rich and smooth on the palate, the flavors charm you with their youthful melon and spice accents. The finish is crisp and mouthwatering.

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So, the message here is that having fun and making quality wine at the same time is doable.

All that’s needed is for wineries to “look inward” and clean up their act.

That same need to look inward easily applies to the wine media. Just maybe discovering the next great cult wine that is on strict allocation is not helpful. And listing the world’s most expensive wines, or the top rated wines based on points, sends the wrong message. And relying on the opinions of somms as the basis for an article or listicle is the lazy way out taken by many today.