Millennials, Gen Z and the future of wine, in eight numbers

They say young people have stopped drinking wine. The numbers tell a more interesting story: they aren't leaving wine, they're changing the rules. Eight public figures, and our reading.

The Briefing: eight numbers

1. 208 million hectolitres. The wine the world drank in 2025: down 2.7% on 2024 and 14% on 2018. (OIV)
2. −9.4%. The fall in Italian consumption in 2025, to 20.2 million hectolitres. (OIV)
3. 31% vs 26%. In the United States, Millennials are now the largest group of wine drinkers, ahead of Baby Boomers. Gen Z rose from 9% to 14%. (Wine Market Council)
4. 6 in 10. The ultra-premium bottles bought in the US by consumers under 44. (UIV-Vinitaly Observatory, IWSR data)
5. 1 in 2. Under-44s who are not particularly loyal to any brand. Among older drinkers it is 1 in 3. (UIV-Vinitaly)
6. Fewer than half. Millennials and Gen Z who agree that wine enhances food. Among over-44s it is the vast majority. (UIV-Vinitaly)
7. 60% and 46%. Gen Z drinkers willing to take a temporary break from alcohol, in the US and in Italy. (UIV-Vinitaly)
8. 54%. American adults who say they drink alcohol: the lowest figure in thirty years. 53% say even moderate drinking is bad for health. (Gallup, August 2025)

Our reading

Young people aren't leaving wine. They're leaving a ritual that doesn't speak to them.

They spend, sometimes a lot, when a bottle means something. But loyalty is no longer inherited: it has to be earned at every visit. The classic argument, "this wine lifts the dish", convinces fewer than half of them. And taking a break from alcohol is not a threat: it's a habit to welcome.

For anyone who serves wine (restaurants, wine bars, wineries) the change is not about the product. It's about language and service.

Worth remembering

• Sell the occasion, not the pairing. Who with, when, why: the dish comes second.
• Earn loyalty every visit. Nobody comes back out of habit; they come back because they felt expected.
• Plan for the pause. A thoughtfully made alcohol-free option says "you're welcome here" louder than any wine list.

Sources

• OIV, State of the World Vine and Wine Sector in 2025 (May 2026)
• Wine Market Council, 2025 U.S. Wine Consumer Benchmark Segmentation Survey (December 2025)
• UIV-Vinitaly Observatory, IWSR data on young consumers in Italy and the US (March 2025)
• Gallup poll on alcohol consumption in the US (August 2025)