By Lettie Teague

Will wine drinking end when Boomers and Gen Xers no longer raise their glasses? If you've been reading the same headlines I have, you might think this could happen.

Here, a small sample of the bad news: "Dour Grapes: Why Wine Makers Are Struggling to Attract Gen Z and Millennial Drinkers" ( Fast Company); "Boomer-Centric Wine Industry at a Crossroads as Gen Z Turns Away From Alcohol" ( Fortune). But do these headlines tell the whole story? Do younger drinkers truly lack interest in wine, or have winery owners failed to figure out what they want? I talked with vintners all over the country and found a number getting quite creative to draw in millennial and Gen Z drinkers as well as boomers and Gen X.

When I first began visiting wineries a few decades ago, the proposition was pretty straightforward: You showed up at the tasting room, with or without a reservation, and sampled some wines poured by the proprietor or the proprietor's spouse, for a nominal price or none at all. Your host explained, in detail, how the wine was produced and perhaps offered a brief tour. You bought a few bottles of a wine because you liked it or just because the owner was nice. You might have told a few friends about the winery and its wines, but you had no need -- and no platform -- to tell the whole world.

A few decades later, so much has changed. Wineries are looking for new ways to attract a younger generation as their core demographic begins to age out. The added attractions often come in the form of "experiences" -- opportunities to drink wine in a mirror-lined cellar, or after performing yoga with goats -- all meticulously documented on social media by winery visitors or personnel.

While some oenophiles might roll their eyes, I can see that yoga goats might attract a new group of fans -- or at least treat older drinkers to a bit of fun. I happily count myself among the Instagram followers of the four miniature donkeys who live at Ravines Wine Cellars in Geneva, N.Y. Long a fan of this Finger Lakes winery's excellent Rieslings and Cabernet Francs, I'm now invested in its donkeys as well.

Benny, Jewel, Copper Penny and little Cotton are the official mascots of the new "plant-based division" of the winery's food and wine club, said Ravines co-founder Lisa Hallgren. The winery created this division of the club, she explained, specifically to appeal to millennials "concerned about where and how their food and wine are grown."

The Hallgrens aren't the only Finger Lakes wine producers wise to the appeal of cute farm animals. Their neighbors at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard offer visitors a $30 farm tour that includes a look around the vineyards and a sheep photo op.

"Many people (not just millennials) are thrilled to see the agricultural aspects of the farm," noted winery co-owner Oskar Bynke.

Grape Adventures

It takes more than donkeys and sheep, however. Younger wine lovers also seek interesting wines, preferably made from uncommon grapes. According to Liz Thach, president of the California-based Wine Market Council, a report it published earlier this year indicates that millennial drinkers are taking an interest in a broad range of grape varieties while boomers remain "camped out in Chardonnay and Cabernet country."

Many successful producers are adding more-obscure grapes to their wineries' portfolios. In addition to Riesling and Cabernet Franc, the Hallgrens produce wines from grapes such as Savagnin, Noiret and Muscat Ottonel. Bryan Ulbrich, winemaker and owner of Left Foot Charley winery in Traverse City, Mich., makes Riesling as well as wines from Auxerrois, Saperavi and Kerner -- all big hits among his millennial customers.

The price of Ulbrich's wines further lures the younger crowd to his winery, he said. Flights of wine (four 2- to 3-ounce pours) cost $16; complimentary tastings are offered on the weekends. Left Foot Charley's staff -- "nearly all millennials," according to Ulbrich -- has also shaped the winery's success with younger visitors. "They've helped guide this old Gen Xer," he said.

At Slater Run Vineyards in Upperville, Va., co-proprietor Kiernan Slater Patusky courts millennial visitors with live music and food trucks as well as wines like pét-nat (naturally sparkling wines) and skin-contact amber Viognier. "We've kept our prices reasonable for our region," she said. Bottles range between $28 and $78, and tastings of three wines start at $16. Visitors are also allowed to bring their own food.

In Pour Form

John Cifelli, general manager of Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, N.J., used to call the addition of music and food trucks at wineries the "beerification" of his state's wine industry, noting that craft breweries first tested such bonus attractions. As Cifelli put it, "people are going to wineries today for a different reason than they did 10 years ago," viewing them as "a place to relax and recreate, rather than to hear a story and buy to take home."

Plenty of wineries are succeeding without food trucks or pickleball. Michael Shaps of Michael Shaps Winery in Charlottesville, Va., and Shenandoah Vineyards in Edinburg, Va., said he offers "a setting without the noise that other wineries tend to have." He charges a reasonable $20 for a tasting of five wines and $10 more for a premium tasting with two more wines -- high-end ones, including one of his Burgundies.

The well-established, family-owned winery Frog's Leap in Rutherford, Calif., has also managed to keep its tastings affordable, starting at $45 a person for four (2-ounce) wines. And the tasting room remains entirely focused on wine -- well-known varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chardonnay, as well as some smaller "winery only" offerings. While the winery does a brisk business with boomers and millennials alike, according to Tori Williams, VP of creative and brand strategy, it hasn't made a "concerted" effort to do so; rather, they seek to educate "curious people of all ages."

At Frog's Leap, Williams explained, the chief focus is educating visitors about the wines, the farm and the family's 40-plus-year history. "I think we need to be very clear about what our purpose is," she said. "I don't want to be known as the winery that's dog-friendly and has the best snacks."

What formula will win the hearts of young drinkers and assure the viability of wineries? I'm glad visiting wineries has become a more multidimensional experience than it was when I was starting out, but I hope that the "purpose" Williams noted doesn't get lost. The wine is what matters most. So here's to the right combination of offerings that will foster a deep love of it in future generations.

Email Lettie at wine@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 23, 2025 12:00 ET (16:00 GMT)

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