1. Embrace Digital Platforms

Young wine drinkers are digitally savvy, often discovering new products and trends online. Utilize social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to share visually appealing content. Invest in high-quality photos and videos that showcase the lifestyle associated with your wine brand. Collaborate with influencers who resonate with younger audiences to create authentic content.

Once recent solid digital execution was done by Josh Cellars, in the two weeks since the memes began circulating, the brand saw a 79% increase in Instagram and Facebook followers. Read here How Josh Cellars is responding to its newfound viral fame.

2. Simplify Wine Education

Make wine approachable by simplifying the language and concepts. Use infographics, short videos, and interactive content to explain wine basics such as tasting notes, wine regions, and food pairings. Create engaging and educational content that demystifies wine, making it less intimidating and more accessible.

3. Host Interactive Events

Organize virtual wine tastings, webinars, and Q&A sessions with winemakers or sommeliers. Provide participants with tasting kits in advance, enabling them to follow along from home. Interactive events can create a sense of community and excitement around your brand.

4. Highlight Sustainability and Ethics

Young consumers are often socially conscious and value brands that prioritize sustainability and ethical practices. Showcase your winery’s commitment to environmentally friendly practices, such as organic farming, biodynamic methods, or sustainable packaging. Share stories of your community initiatives and partnerships with local organizations.

Sonoma County Winegrowers has established itself as a pioneer in sustainable winegrowing, achieving the milestone of becoming 99% certified sustainable. Read here to learn all about how you can market and promote sustainability if you are a winery and how Sonoma County Wine Growers is doing it.

Tip for wineries: Michael Mighetto Hoefling one of the leading sommeliers of America is now Sommeliers Choice Awards sustainability expert. Video on different sustainability certifications will soon come in the Sommeliers Choice Awards video section.

5. Offer Unique Experiences

Create memorable experiences that go beyond traditional wine tasting. This could include vineyard tours, wine blending workshops, or themed events that combine wine with other interests such as music, art, or food. Unique experiences can differentiate your brand and attract younger audiences seeking new and exciting activities.

6. Leverage User-Generated Content

Encourage your customers to share their wine experiences on social media using branded hashtags. Repost user-generated content to build a sense of community and trust. User-generated content serves as authentic testimonials and can influence the purchasing decisions of young wine drinkers.

7. Provide Value Through Subscription Services

Offer wine subscription boxes tailored to different tastes and preferences. Include tasting notes, pairing suggestions, and information about the wines and winemakers. Subscription services provide convenience and a sense of discovery, appealing to young consumers who enjoy exploring new wines.

Firstleaf is a leading wine company that is an expert in understanding consumer tastes and uses data to make wine and also uses simple communications with its wine drinkers. Do check this video of our CEO, Sid Patel, and Firstleaf’s CEO Philip James: Wine, AI, Technology and Consumer Behavior with Philip James of Firstleaf

8. Innovate with Packaging

Consider modern and eye-catching packaging designs that stand out on the shelf and appeal to younger demographics. Experiment with different formats such as wine cans or single-serve bottles, which can be more convenient and less intimidating for new wine drinkers.

9. Focus on Storytelling

Tell the story behind your wines, focusing on the people, the place, and the process. Young consumers appreciate authenticity and want to connect with brands on a personal level. Share behind-the-scenes content, interviews with winemakers, and the history of your vineyard to create an emotional connection.

10. Offer Affordable Options

Ensure that your product lineup includes affordable options that allow young consumers to try your wines without a significant financial commitment. Highlight value-for-money offerings and promotions that make your wines more accessible to a younger audience.

By implementing these strategies, wineries can effectively communicate with and engage young wine drinkers, fostering a loyal customer base for the future.

Sommeliers Choice Awards will be hosting a webinar on how we can grow wine consumption on September 20, 2024. 

Debate moderated by Sid Patel, CEO of Beverage Trade Network and Sommeliers Choice Awards with some of the leading wine associations heads and wine regions advocates around the world on how we can grow wine consumption. All entrants to the London Wine Competition and Sommeliers Choice Awards will also get a recorded video and a summary of the report on how we can do this.

Panel Includes Wines from Great Britain, Wines of South Africa, Wines of Turkey, Wines of Romania, Business France, and More...

In this talk, we discuss the current issues of having young wine drinkers drink wine again, how we should make wine more approachable, and how we need to position wine for the next generation.

The points of discussion:

Wine and Consumer: How we can talk to the new consumer
Wine and Culture: How we can use current culture to grow wine consumption
Wine and Trade: How trade can push wine in a new way
Wine and big companies: How leading companies around the world can help
Wine and transparency: How can we story tell the of sustainability and transparency
Wine and health: What can we do here

Who to attend: (Globally)

Wine Associations around the world
Wineries
Wine trade

RSVP here for the webinar.