Millennials Are the Biggest Wine Drinkers in the US Now

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Despite all the handwringing of late that millennials ruined wine, they’ve now surpassed baby boomers as America’s largest wine-drinking generation. And in a plot twist that has surely surprised producers of ready-to-drink cocktails, spiked seltzer, and cannabis drinks, Gen Z is enjoying wine more frequently as well. The Wine Market Council’s 2025 US Wine Consumer Benchmark Segmentation Survey shows that 31 percent of U.S. wine drinkers are now millennials, while baby boomers’ share has dropped to 26 percent, a significant decline from 32 percent in 2023. Yet, as millennials enter life stages traditionally associated with higher spending on alcohol, their values and priorities differ substantially from previous generations.

As difficult as selling wine has become in the past several years, this generational shift provides unique opportunities for wine producers to attract younger consumers to their brands with a variety of tactics. “A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is unlikely to be effective,” says Wine Market Council president Liz Thach. “The most successful brands will tailor their outreach with different language, visuals, and channels.” That said, we are seeing consistent focus on sustainability and authenticity, two values that figure strongly in the millennial and Gen Z ethos. And with millennials on track to be the richest generation on record, much of the efforts to attract their dollars is happening within the luxury sector of the wine industry.

At Williams Selyem in Sonoma, the winery is taking what Philip O’Conor, the winery’s vice president of sales and marketing, calls a “multi-generational approach,” where they want to instill an appreciation for and a knowledge of wine in young drinkers that have traditionally been passed down through families. Efforts include educational programs for younger members covering topics such as navigating a wine list at a business dinner or how to approach storage and collecting. In addition, the winery is forging strategic partnerships with wine clubs and wine teams at leading colleges with MBA programs to engage younger professionals while also connecting with millennial and Gen Z sommeliers at trade events such as TexSomm, SommCon, and Pinot Forum. They’re aided in their efforts with a 38,000-member strong allocation-based mailing list. While allocation can be a touchy topic among consumers who want to be able to order anything they want on demand, the winery is using that system to their benefit as an opportunity not just for sales, but for education as well.

Conversely, Annulus, a Napa Valley winery that released its first vintage in 2024, has eschewed the allocation model. Proprietors Luke Evnin and Deann Wright launched with a straightforward buy-now mode, including a “portfolio” selection made up of a single bottle of each of their three Cabernets. They want people to be able to try their wines without having to commit to allocations. And for those looking to experience Annulus in person, the winery offers relaxed family-style meals in a Napa Valley olive grove. “We hope these transparent models and creative offerings enable exploration,” Wright says.

A much larger producer, Jackson Family Wines, has created streamlined, intuitive e-commerce experiences that make discovering and purchasing luxury wine easier across its brands, such as Cardinale, Vérité, and Stonestreet. And while the individual winery websites offer intuitive access to allocations and limited releases as well as a simplified checkout experience, they also feature clear storytelling around vineyards, organic farming practices, and craftsmanship, which are important features for younger wine lovers.

“Over time, it became clear that younger members of our mailing list were especially drawn to stories about how we farm, how we build, and how we think long term,” says Brian Ball, general manager at Skipstone in Sonoma. “When we share updates about organic and biodynamic practices, land stewardship, or the intentional design of our new winery, those messages consistently generate deeper engagement from that demographic.” While they did not set out to build a millennial-themed winery, Skipstone’s new production facility, set to open in February, is designed to be among the most environmentally responsible in the world. Tastings and tours at Skipstone include walking the organically farmed vineyards and a discussion of farming practices that boost biodiversity and soil health. And while the $500 price tag of Skipstone’s immersive programming such as the Sonoma Cook-Off may be off-putting to some, its $125 core tasting experience or upcoming events such as “pizza on the patio” offer what Ball says matters most to younger consumers: “Time in the vineyards, insight into how the land is farmed, a first-hand look at all aspects of winemaking at our new winery, and a deeper understanding of why sustainability and stewardship matter to us.”

“We believe the way someone first experiences our estate wineries and Napa Valley wine really matters,” says John Conover, managing partner and general manager of Napa Valley’s PlumpJack Collection of Wineries. With the idea that great wine should be approachable, all the portfolio’s brands offer complimentary tasting on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which Conover says is “about taking some of the pressure out of the visit.” With a focus on storytelling and authenticity, “we talk about the land, how the vineyards are farmed, how the wines are made, and the people who bring them to life, without it ever feeling transactional,” Conover says. PlumpJack’s approach echoes Thach’s contention that wineries need to “break down the perception that wine is only for special or formal events, and show its place in casual, fun, and high-energy settings.” It seems that two of the best places to start are the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma.

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