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French red wine is facing a “permanent” if irreversible decline, according to people working in the industry, as younger generations increasingly prefer variety. drinks or avoid alcohol altogether.
Red wine consumption in France has fallen by about 90 percent since the 1970s, according to the Conseil Interprofessionnel du vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), a trade association.
Total wine consumption, red, white and rosés, has fallen by more than 80 percent in France since 1945, according to research data from Nielsen, and the decline is growing, with Generation Z buying half the volume bought by adults.
“Issues with wine – especially red wine – are coming up now, and have been a problem for over a decade,” said Spiros Malandrakis, drinks analyst at Euromonitor International.
The industry was suffering from a “lack of communication with younger generations”, and had previously fallen into a “feeling of apathy” due to the popularity of wine among the younger generation, he added.
Changes in French consumption are increasing global trends that are hurting the sector, such as people drinking less and changes in taste. Red wines in particular are falling into fashion among young people who like rosé, beer, and spirits alcohol-free options.
“In every generation in France we see change. “If the grandfather drinks 300 liters of red wine a year, the father drinks 180 liters and the son drinks 30 liters,” said CIVB board member Jean-Pierre Durand.
The industry is also facing a sharp drop in demand from China, one of its main export markets, and the impact of climate change.
The challenges do not hit all wine types equally. “The higher the volume, the more red the tannic color goes down a lot, and it grows faster with the change,” says wine buyer Thomas Castet.
Some industry leaders expect producers to respond by focusing on high-quality wine or expanding their offering from red to other products, such as white or low-alcohol wine – although the latter requires investment in new vineyards and equipment.
Durand, who heads wine producer AdVini in southwest Bordeaux, predicted there would be less demand in the future for low-quality wines as younger generations prioritize quality over quantity. Some wines sell for €2.50 a bottle in France.
But Durand said over-production and the presence of many low-quality wines hurt Bordeaux's image, even though the region is known for the Saint-Émilion area, which produces high-quality and expensive wines.
The industry is also challenging other high-end wineries. The 2024 harvest at Château Mauvinon, a small family-run business in Saint-Émilion, was affected by high temperatures and mold – problems that have plagued the entire region as the climate changes.
Brigitte Tribaudeau, who owns and manages the winery, said high-quality cru reds had been a staple of Château Mauvinon's production, but she noticed a change in drinkers' habits over the years and began to adapt.
He started producing white wine in 2018, as well as orange wine, which is popular among young drinkers. He is now experimenting with a low-alcohol wine, which will be ready for sale this year.
The winery has also been certified organic since 2017, which appeals to younger customers.
“I felt early on that drinking patterns were changing – I was seeing that women and especially women younger than me were drinking less, and drinking less,” Tribaudeau said.
Some wineries are reluctant to innovate, either because of cost or because of tradition. Switching from red to white wine production takes heavy investment in new vines and different equipment, and not all growing areas are suitable for different grapes.
Many winemakers have resisted creating products such as wine mixers and canned wine, which could be used to recruit new drinkers, Mandrakis said. Many have been slow to embrace wine tours and in-person marketing, which can appeal to younger consumers who want an experience and a story when they shop.
The stress has led the Bordeaux region to begin uprooting up to 9,500 hectares of vines to reduce production and prevent the spread of disease through neglected vines. The two-year plan, which started in 2023, offers 6,000 per hectare to be uprooted, in a total budget of 57mn which is mainly supported by the government and the CIVB.
“We cannot continue to produce still wines,” said Durand. “When the model is broken, we get used to it.”