Wine Conversations: How Do We Get More People Interested In Wine? (II)

Short answer? Have fun!

Welcome to our very first "Wine Conversations", a new feature spotlighting a wine-related topic and transforming it into an evolving conversation between multiple wine writers across the whole of Substack. Many thanks to

Dave Baxter

for including me in this first round of Wine Conversations!

This post is Part 2 for this month's topic, with Part 3 written by

Tannic Panic!

. Each entry will include that wine writer's take, while also responding to points made in previous entries. If you are a wine writer on Substack and would like to take part in this or a future Conversation, you can DM Dave Baxter (or me, and I’ll pass it along to Dave).

This month's topic is one of the pressing for the wine industry in 2025, given the ongoing decline in consumption, sales, visits to wineries, and as the alcoholic beverage of choice for most Americans and younger generation consumers:

How Do We Get More People Interested in Wine?

Wine Conversations: How Do We Get More People Interested in Wine? (I)

To summarize Dave’s previous Wine Conversations post, here’s a review of the points he made:

Lastly, beyond the above - 1) finding ways for active education, 2) simplifying without demystifying, 3) being transparent with labeling, and 4) exposing people to the new and odd - wine would benefit from being less knee-jerk resistant to all things new.

I agree with the points made above, and here’s how I would expand on them. Wine’s elitist culture is almost patriotic at this point, especially since our last imbibing President left office 8 years ago. The deification of sommeliers hasn’t helped either. What I wish people could understand is that wine appreciation is an underrated art form that awakens a sense that we were never taught to understand.

The one thing I would tell Americans to get them more excited about wine?

Lighten up! Make wine fun again!

I’ve mentioned that this photo right here was the one that made me want to pursue sommelier certification:

The photo that inspired me to sign up for my first sommelier exam. My mentor, MS Chris Gaither, is third from the right. Photo Credit: Magrino.

This is the Master Sommelier Class of 2022 from the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas branch. You see the guy that’s third from the right?

Yup. Same guy. Slinging tête de cuvée champagne and chatting with guests. I’m willing to bet you he’s rocking some Air Force Ones, too. (Chris is famously a sneakerhead who asked me about my sneaker game about 3.5 seconds after hiring me.)

This is Master Sommelier Chris Gaither. He’s the fourth Black Master Sommelier in the world, an HBCU graduate, and he’s worked at some of the best restaurants in the world. He can hold a passionate conversation on just about anything, from aged Grüner Veltliner to the Warriors to whatever playlist he’s been putting together. I have literally never seen him without a smile. He is also one of my mentors, and I learned everything I know about service and fostering connections with guests from him.

Sometimes it’s about meeting people where they’re at. Other times, it’s about letting go of preconceived notions about wine.

If curiosity is to be encouraged, wine needs to learn to have a sense of humor. It’s not as much about eliminating wine’s stuffiness as it is bringing out the creative side of what wine can do. Any winemaker can tell you that each harvest is part art, part science, and part minor miracle to complete. Why have we neglected the art part? In doing so, we as a society have discredited the science and completely overlooked the minor miracles involved with getting wine into bottles and on tables.

My background in the entertainment world works to my advantage just about every day I’m helping guests. (TLDR: I’m a classically trained singer and pianist who entered undergrad thinking I was gonna be the next Patti LuPone and ended up marrying a filmmaker.) Whenever I find myself in conversation with someone who’s looking for a gift but has no idea what they might like, or when someone is trying to choose a bottle for the table and absolutely cannot make a decision, I change the subject almost entirely. For the gift giver? I ask them to focus on the occasion, or even the person they’re gifting. The bottle for the table? I’m looking for clues about people’s reaction when I ask them what they were listening to on the way over to the restaurant. Selecting a wine based on vibe is a great way to get people thinking in a different direction, and the misdirection will often lead to a stronger sense of trust if I can speak to what they already know and add to that shared language.

This is precisely why I love writing wine and movie pairings. When I first started, it was more of a mental exercise for me as I was learning to love my husband’s favorite art form and I was starting to learn more about wine at home. Now, it’s an active tool I use not only to get people excited about movies (another pet cause of mine), but to think about wine in a way they probably haven’t done before. Each wine and movie pairing is different, but appreciating two forms of art actually leads to a deeper understanding of both.

Those who have read my article for Jancis Robinson last year know how much of an influence the movie Uncorked (2020) has on me. Early in the movie, there’s a scene in a wine shop where an aspiring sommelier (Mamoudou Athie) talks to a customer about the different types of wine like they’re hip hop artists. It just goes to show that having fun with wine and meeting people where they’re at are imperative for sharing the wealth of knowledge and a love of wine with others.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

What are some of the ways we can continue to play with wine and get a little fun involved? Let’s keep the conversation rolling in the comments (free for all!). And

Tannic Panic!

, I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say next!