When wine disappears

Wine is more than just a matter of taste or fashion. It is a structural element of everyday life and has long been embedded in social rituals and cultural habits. In the post-war period, especially from the 1950s onwards, wine became a symbol of stability, routine and prosperity.

The integration of wine into everyday life was not a luxury phenomenon, but rather an expression of the social and economic conditions of the time, which were characterised by predictable career paths, stable incomes and clear social milieus. Families were started early, affordable housing was not in short supply, and the rhythm of life was clearly structured. Wine had a firm place in this order. It was neither prestigious nor in need of explanation. It was consumed casually, as an accompaniment to the end of the working day, Sunday lunch or family gatherings. The daily glass of wine was part of a routine.

This apparent matter of course was the result of several deeply intertwined factors. Firstly, economic security was crucial. Incomes were predictable and wages rose regularly. Wine was therefore an affordable pleasure that did not require conscious consideration. Equally important was the structure of everyday life. Regular working hours, regular meals and clear weekly rhythms made it easier to integrate wine into daily rituals.

However, the mass appeal of wine was not really historically given, but rather the result of a long-term social and economic process. Before the Second World War, wine was not a commonly available everyday drink. Its consumption followed fixed cultural attributions, was linked to special occasions and was socially associated with the upper classes.

The economic boom after the war brought about a fundamental change. Urbanisation, rising real wages and the expansion of social security created a living environment in which wine could become a mass-market product suitable for everyday consumption. Wine not only marked meals, but also structured time. The end of the working day, weekends and holidays took on a fixed rhythm with its presence, which was not a product of marketing or conscious consumerism, but an expression of social habits and economic stability. Wine acted as a catalyst for community. Its role went beyond mere consumption. Wine conveyed a sense of belonging, routine and reliability. The relationship with wine was almost casual, not based on knowledge or prestige.

However, this integration into everyday life was always dependent on stable social and economic structures and thus susceptible to erosion. The first shifts in consumption dynamics can be observed as early as the 1990s. Employment biographies became fragmented, working hours became more flexible, and leisure time became individualised. Nevertheless, wine initially remained part of everyday life for large sections of the population. It was not until the following two decades that a fundamental break occurred.

The loss of stable living environments is key to understanding the decline in wine consumption. Careers are becoming increasingly fragile, income levels more precarious, housing more expensive and social networks more unstable. Shared meals are becoming less regular, taking place at different times or being omitted altogether. In the project-based nature of everyday life, wine is losing its natural place. A drink that stands for time, patience and social interaction is coming up against a lifestyle that demands flexibility, efficiency and constant self-optimisation.

The reduction in wine consumption is therefore less a result of conscious rejection than a consequence of changed circumstances. People are not drinking less wine because it tastes worse or has lost its appeal, but because the social, economic and cultural conditions that make it viable in everyday life are increasingly lacking. Decision overload, uncertainty about price and quality, irregular meals and the loss of shared rituals prevent casual consumption. Wine needs to be explained. Its consumption requires conscious decisions. This represents a fundamental break with the post-war decades, when wine was a social norm.

The fragmentation of food and drink culture is reinforcing this trend. Meals are increasingly being eaten on the go, alone or for functional reasons. The laid table, for a long time a social stage for shared meals, conversation and casual wine consumption, is losing its importance. Wine, which traditionally functioned in these contexts, is thus losing its natural role. While beer and non-alcoholic beverages can be consumed flexibly, wine remains largely dependent on temporal and social structures. This structural dependency explains why even inexpensive wines are increasingly disappearing from everyday life.

Added to this is the erosion of the consumer middle class, which stabilised the wine market for decades. This broad social class had sufficient time and income not to have to justify enjoyment. It formed the basis of the mass wine market and enabled taste transfer, knowledge building and social learning processes. With its decline, polarisation sets in. In the lower segment, inexpensive, interchangeable and faceless products remain, while in the upper segment, prices, symbolism and exclusivity are on the rise. Everyday consumption in between is losing its social and economic basis.

The basic segment of food retail is particularly affected. Liter bottles, entry-level qualities and private labels, which used to enable everyday consumption, are losing relevance. Consumers often react to uncertainty, diversity and a lack of rituals by withdrawing. Discounts and promotions can secure volume in the short term, but in the long term they undermine trust and loyalty. Wine is becoming interchangeable, and its role as a connecting element of everyday life continues to dwindle.

Macroeconomic developments are reinforcing this dynamic. Stagnating real wages, rising housing and living costs, and uncertain employment histories are leading to greater prioritisation and short-term cost-benefit considerations. Luxury goods require justification and are taking a back seat. Wine is particularly affected by this, which is why the decline should be understood not as a temporary fad but as a structural phenomenon.

At the same time, a cultural change is taking place. Wine, which used to be consumed casually, now requires attention, knowledge and active selection. Origin, grape varieties, quality and price are critically evaluated. This rationalisation of consumption contrasts with casual consumption. The decline is therefore not only quantitative but also qualitative. Wine is losing its function as an accompaniment to everyday life and as a social glue. Other beverages are taking over this role because they can be consumed more flexibly.

While the basic segment is suffering from structural changes, the higher-quality segment is responding dynamically with what is known as premiumisation. Prices are rising, discussions about quality are intensifying, and symbolic character and exclusivity are gaining in importance. Economically, this strategy is rational. Falling sales volumes are compensated by higher prices, and market shares are secured through differentiation. Socially, however, it marks a retreat. Wine is increasingly becoming an object, a collector's item or a status symbol, visible but no longer an integral part of everyday life. Premiumisation is both a reaction to the loss of everyday consumption and an amplifier of it. Rising prices, complex classifications and symbolic connotations further raise the barriers to entry and accelerate the retreat from the mainstream.

The mechanisms of this feedback loop are complex. Firstly, price dynamics raise the economic entry threshold. Secondly, symbolisation intensifies the division between different social groups. Wine becomes a touchstone of cultural competence. Origin, site classifications, knowledge of grape varieties and ratings function as codes of belonging. Taste takes a back seat, cultural capital becomes the benchmark.

This development can be observed, for example, in institutional classification systems such as that of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP). Such classifications are not only economically motivated, but also have a social and cultural function. They provide orientation within the system, but at the same time mark belonging and demarcation. For consumers without prior knowledge, these systems tend to be more daunting than inviting. As a result, wine is further losing its integrative function as a medium of casual social exchange.

Social exclusion through institutionalised codes reinforces market polarisation. Young people seeking enjoyment without hierarchy, transparency without prior knowledge and direct experience find no access. Wine appears to be an authoritarian system rather than an accessible companion to everyday life. The decline is therefore less an expression of disinterest than the result of structural barriers.

At the same time, the communicative role of wine is changing. In the premium segment, narratives of origin, ratings and rankings dominate. Wine is becoming more visible, but continues to lose its everyday function. These norms are spreading to the market as a whole and are also unsettling those who used to consume wine as a matter of course. The dynamics of premiumisation thus follow a paradoxical logic. Wine is increasing in symbolic value, while its presence in everyday life is declining. The market is becoming socially and economically polarised.

This development is not a purely German phenomenon. Premiumisation and polarisation can also be observed in France, Italy and Spain. Precarious employment histories, the loss of social security and fragmented lifestyles are having an impact in all developed markets.

The challenges for the wine market are therefore structural in nature. The central question is not how wine can become trendier or cheaper, but how it can regain its social relevance without sacrificing quality standards and cultural identity. The solution lies in restoring experientiality, everyday integration and accessibility, not in further enhancing prestige.

Classifications should provide guidance without creating barriers. Origin must be explained and communicated, not asserted. Locations and quality levels must be understandable and tangible. Only then can wine regain its role in promoting integration in everyday social life.

Translating tradition into the present is the key to stabilising the market. When origin, quality and cultural codes are communicated in tangible contexts, the barriers to entry are lowered.

Young adults who seek enjoyment, transparency and direct experience can be re-engaged without prestige or hierarchy dominating. Wine does not lose its exclusivity in the premium segment, but regains its social breadth.

The wine of the future will not be defined by price or marketing, but by social connectivity. Only in this way can it continue to fulfil its function as a connecting element and companion in life.