Winning Over Adults of Legal Drinking Age with the Allure of Wine

Image courtesy of Unsplash, provided by Jarritos.

Several years back, a colleague who was employed in a higher education career center requested that I present a “Wine 101” tutorial to a collection of nearing graduates and their guardians.

In the subsequent year, also around the time of commencement, that particular friend checked if we could arrange a session on “Communicating with a Sommelier.”

Affirmative, and certainly.

Her objective with those workshops was to arm the aspiring and newly employable youth with knowledge about wine as a “soft skill” as they venture into the job market.

This is an excellent and apt proposition. Throughout their successful careers, these young individuals are likely to find themselves dining with a client and confronted with a wine list. She envisages her students navigating this situation confidently and deftly.

I am reminiscing about my friend and her workshops for two reasons this week. Firstly, it’s the season of graduations and an enthusiastic, responsible introduction to wine is a unique, enjoyable, and unconventional gift for the new “LDA” (Legal Drinking Age) individuals in our lives. Secondly, these LDA individuals are precisely those we, including Matthew and myself in the wine industry, need to woo.

I deliberately use the word “woo”. You may have come across alarming headlines stating that “wine consumption has decreased!” among younger consumers or even “no amount of alcohol” is beneficial to health. Hearing these claims is distressing, partly because the research lacks accuracy and mainly because it completely overlooks the factor of enjoyment.

Instead of invoking hesitation or inquiries about wine, our goal is to incite its enchantment, especially within the younger demographic. As opposed to reaching out for any newly introduced wine alternatives, we wish for them to identify first and foremost as a wine enthusiast.

We believe this can be done subtly, responsibly, and evocatively while maintaining an extensive amount of enjoyment.

Photo credit to Unsplash.

My twenty-first birthday feels like it was only yesterday.

It was not just yesterday, but 20 years ago. Incredible.

For years, I had been frequenting bars in Santa Barbara with a counterfeit ID. Upon entering The James Joyce in Downtown SB that day, a broad grin graced my face. I was brimming with excitement to showcase my newly acquired, legitimate government-issued ID to the chief bartender, Patrick, a renowned figure in SB nightlife.

Naturally, he made me pay my dues. I confess, I had put him in an uncomfortable position by confessing that I had been an underage drinker in his bar until THAT MOMENT. As a result, he compelled me to down THREE “3 Wise Men” shots. If you just flinched at reading that, then you surely know what a 3 Wise Men shot is! If not, I would suggest looking it up.

An intriguing matter to highlight here is that there was an absence of wine during my 21st birthday.

My upbringing in Santa Barbara, a city renowned both for its drinking culture and its status as a globally recognized wine region, resulted in an atypical reality. It was during my college years that I developed a passion for wine, inspired by the father of my roommate who had a considerable collection of wine and was a truly exceptional man. By the time I was 21, my knowledge about wine was greater than most people my age.

But what about those who are just reaching the legal drinking age? How can we understand their drinking habits?

Wine is not the most cost-effective option. If you compare the average price of a bottle of wine with a case of beer, a bottle of vodka/gin/tequila/whiskey, or current trending options like a case of ready-to-drink beverages or seltzers, the comparison could be intimidating.

However, we understand that as people age and have more money to spend, they tend to seek wine as a potential option for drinking.

Another strong point worth mentioning is that of health The message needs to become consistent. We need to let humans young and old know with confidence whether or not a glass of wine is a viable option to remain healthy. This inconsistency of message we are seeing from health organizations is clouding the thought process of many. The younger generation seems to be fine with writing off drinking entirely.

I recommend following the data and teachings of Dan Buettner, famous for his studying of Blue Zones which turned into a popular Netflix Documentary, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. In his interviews about those who live to 100 years or older, Buettner always mentions that their diets consist of two daily glasses of wine. The only exception being the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California who do not drink alcohol, and can live up to 10 years longer than the average American.

We all want to be setup for healthy success in our lives, and while abstaining entirely from alcohol may be seen as more healthy, its definitely a less social option. That important detail is another determinant of those apt to live to 100, being social.

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!