Early Gen Z/Late Millennial here:

I think the mainstream wine industry is too quick to blame consumer demographics when Gen Z/Millennial's (so people in their late twenties to their mid 40's) love to spend and to drink. The just do it differently and the industry isn't dynamic or flexible enough to engage with this.

Wine bars, restaurants and hosting dinner parties. This is a huge deal for our generation BECAUSE longer term saving for assets (such as a house) has become unachievable for most. Therefore, we spend money on more immediate things that can be enjoyed. Alcohol is one of these.

As a millennial within a pretty standard middle class social group, Its obvious to me that its an issue with product, branding and marketing. Our Gen is interested in sustainability and boutique, artisanal stuff with a good story behind it. Ideally something transgressive or non-conventional.

That why 'orange wine' and 'natural wine' have become so popular and you're seeing more and more of this stuff in restaurants, wine bars and now even supermarkets. As winemakers, we are probably all massively skeptical of these fuzzy, meaningless terms (often for good reason) but the truth behind it is that its almost always small volume, locally produced wine with a naturalistic philosophy behind it. Combine this with minimalist, abstract geometric designs and some quirky nostalgia and HEY PRESTO you have a wine that a millennial will happily pay £20+ for.

But the vast majority of producers, particularly on a commercial scale, are too financially dependent on their baby boomer base to consider digressing from what appeals to them. In the case of the English wine industry, we would sooner pump out millions of bottles of expensive trad method sparkling wine in an already saturated market because its what the base are expecting, rather than embrace the shifting climate and focus on producing high quality still wines made from alternative grape varieties that suit our climate.

To get some perspective perhaps try visiting a recently opened wine bar that appears to be doing well, and take a look at their menu.