Should We Fear the Death of Big Wine?

And What it Means for the Natural Wine Sector

I can’t recall a year when there was quite so much doom and gloom in the press about wine consumption. Back in February, I took a look at some of the depressing claims. Is the wine industry in danger of a slow death? In the future, will alcohol - including wine - be demonised the same way tobacco is now? Will Gen Z skip wine altogether?

My conclusions echoed those of many other industry commentators - notably Eric Asimov writing in the New York Times - that it’s the commodity, or mass production end of the industry that’s really in trouble. This crystal clear analysis from ex-wine retailer Charlie Brown redoubles that point in spades, and is recommended reading.

So, nothing to see here. The stuff you and I actually care about - small-production, artisanal, low-intervention, natural - is all fine. Or is it?

Are sales of natural wine in decline?