Wine Doesn't Need More Drinkers. It Needs More Curious Ones. - The Source

Credit: Tina Paymaster

Wine has a younger-consumer problem. But I don’t believe the solution is convincing people to drink more of it. I believe we need to give people more reasons to be curious about it.

According to Gallup, 62% of adults under the age of 35 say they drink, down from 72% two decades ago. In Oregon, the challenges are hitting close to home. The 2025 Oregon Vineyard & Winery Census reported a 16% decline in wine case sales and an 11% drop in sales value. The state also ended the year with 33 fewer wineries and 77 fewer vineyards.

As a sommelier and professional wine educator in Bend, I think we need to ask a different question: How can we make wine more interesting, approachable and meaningful to people, rather than simply trying to sell them more of it?

My own answer begins with a class I attended more than two decades ago.

In my early 20s, my mortgage broker hosted a casual Wine 101 class at his house. I learned the basics: how wine is made, where it comes from and why wines can taste so different from one another. That evening sparked a curiosity that eventually led me to become a Certified Sommelier, Owner of Flights Wine Bar in Bend and launch The Curious Vine Collective, my wine education business.

I had no idea one class would change the direction of my life. It led me to travel to wine regions, meet people who shared my interest and discover the stories behind the bottles. That curiosity has never really stopped.

Wine is so much more than what’s in the glass

Learning about wine can mean learning about geography, geology, agriculture, biology, chemistry, history and culture. A single bottle can tell you about the climate where the grapes grew, the traditions of a community or the decisions a farmer made during a difficult growing season.

Wine can also be a catalyst for connection. Some of my favorite memories have less to do with what was in the glass than with the people I was sitting with, the food we shared and the conversations we had. The wine brought those pieces together.

I don’t think we should treat changing drinking habits as a problem we need to reverse. People have their reasons for drinking less, spending less or choosing not to drink at all, and those choices deserve respect. But for people who are curious about wine, education can offer a way to engage with it that goes beyond consumption.

You shouldn’t need a big budget to be curious about wine

Price is another barrier. Spending $25 or $30 on an unfamiliar bottle can feel like a gamble, especially when everyday expenses are rising.

Part of wine education is helping people find value at every price point. If I can help someone discover a $25 bottle they love and understand why they love it, that’s a win. If someone has $50 or $75 to spend, I want them to understand what that extra money buys and help them discover producers worth supporting.

The author leading a recent wine education class. Credit: Courtesy Kelsey Daniels

That matters here in Oregon, where independent wineries and the farmers behind them are navigating a difficult market. Helping consumers discover smaller producers, understand their wines and appreciate the work behind them may encourage more thoughtful purchasing without encouraging anyone to drink more.

I also think we can change how we talk about wine education itself. It doesn’t have to mean studying for a certification or memorizing complicated terminology. It can mean an evening out with friends, a class that inspires a future trip or simply feeling more confident choosing a bottle at a restaurant.

Through The Curious Vine Collective, I offer public wine classes throughout Central Oregon, private classes in people’s homes and free Wine Wednesday videos that make wine topics approachable. My goal isn’t to turn everyone into a wine expert. It is to help people ask questions, explore something new and discover what interests them.

Maybe that curiosity leads someone to a small Oregon winery. Maybe it inspires a trip to a wine region or helps them find a bottle they’ll remember sharing with friends. Maybe it simply makes the next glass a little more interesting.

For me, one casual class started a lifelong curiosity. I believe we can create that spark for others, too.

Wine doesn’t need everyone to drink more. It needs to give people more reasons to care.

—Kelsey Daniels’ wine education classes include an upcoming one at Cuvée Wine Bar in Sisters on Dec. 16. Find out more at curiousvinecollective.com or on Instagram @curious_vine_collective.