Listen up!
I find it interesting to see so many posts of wine “experts” talking to audiences of wine professionals.? I have done so on multiple occasions and continents, so I’m not immune to the criticism I’m leveling. ?If today’s experts had the answers, and their audiences were listening, why would the wine category in the US be stagnant, despite the extreme wealth in the US?
It sure would be refreshing to hear about events where the industry was LISTENING instead of talking.? Listen to young folks who drink cocktails or beer but not wine. Listen to folks who are drinking less wine than they were a couple years ago. Listen to the 60+/60+ crowd (over 60 and buy wine $60+) and learn about their intended path forward with respect to wine. ???The near term, and long term, future of our industry hinges on how well we listen and respond. ?There are many ways this could be done, whether in-person or virtually.? ?This isn’t a rhetorical question, but a practical one.
As someone one said, we have but one mouth, but two ears.? We need to listen up.
The real question, which you raise here, Patrick, is whether the industry in truly interested in listening. I used to joke that I had a thirty-five year career in the wine industry because body ever listened. I could continue to give the same advice, over and over again, because that advice was never acted on. Now that I am retired from the business, but still teaching at Napa Valley College, I see the same issues with my students here that I saw nearly thirty years ago. And the industry still doesn't want to listen. They still believe that consumers need more education about wine. Name one other consumer product where consumers want to go to school so that they can better appreciate the product...