| The history of wine consumption in America has | | | | trade mandates of the U.S. Constitution.Because |
| been frought with starts, stops, and | | | | every state has the power to make their own |
| inconsistencies. The American population has | | | | laws regarding wine sales, it has effectively made |
| always had a love-hate relationship with alcohol. | | | | commercial wine distribution a convoluted mess. |
| Historic prohibitionist attitudes amongst much of | | | | Marketing wine in the U.S. continues to be a |
| the American population have blurred the line | | | | difficult and frustrating task, especially for smaller |
| between moderate wine consumption and | | | | wineries.The effects of the 21st Amendment |
| detrimental alcoholism. As a result, regular, | | | | have had a major impact on the history of wine |
| moderate consumption of wine by the American | | | | consumption in the U.S. during the 20th and 21st |
| public continues to face ideological and legal | | | | Centuries. Its legacy is a tangle of state and |
| impediments.The History of Wine Consumption | | | | county laws that regulate the production and sale |
| During the Colonial YearsSince its origins, the | | | | of wine.The Fortified Wine YearsImmediately |
| history of wine consumption in America has been | | | | after the repeal of Prohibition, wine consumption |
| both encouraged and despised by different | | | | dropped as Americans had renewed access to |
| demographic groups. Spanish missionaries | | | | spirits and beer. From the repeal of Prohibition to |
| produced the earliest New World wine during the | | | | the late 1950s, high-alcohol dessert and fortified |
| early 17th Century. Shortly thereafter, French | | | | wines dominated the market. These were the |
| immigrants began to cultivate grapes in the | | | | darkest days of the history of wine production |
| Hudson River Valley. They made wine, juice, and | | | | and consumption. Many fortified wines were |
| preserves.The early history of wine consumption | | | | produced and sold extremely cheaply, and |
| in America was dominated by immigrants whom | | | | catered to the "misery market". "Winos" drank |
| were primarily Catholic, and of Central or | | | | these overly alcoholic concoctions becauses they |
| Southern European descent. The bulk of | | | | were the cheapest way to get drunk. In the |
| wine-drinking immigrants came from the wine | | | | quest for short-term profits, unscrupulous |
| loving nations of France, Italy, Germany, and | | | | producers stamped a black mark on the history |
| Spain. They descended from cultural traditions | | | | of wine in America.From 1934 to the early 1950s, |
| that valued social wine consumption with the | | | | immigrant families consumed the majority of table |
| evening meal.The aforementioned wine drinkers | | | | wines. Unfortunately, many of their offspring did |
| were counterbalanced by immigrants from | | | | not follow their parents traditional drink choices |
| Northern Europe. Many held Puritan belief systems | | | | and began consuming beer and cocktails as they |
| that discouraged or banned alcohol consumption of | | | | assimilated into American society. Table wine was |
| any kind. The nativist movements of the early | | | | a mysterious beverage to most Americans and |
| 18th Century cast suspician on immigrant groups | | | | was associated with high-society and recent |
| that retained Old World customs and did not | | | | arrivals from Southern and Central Europe.The Jug |
| entirely assimilate into American society.Wine | | | | Wine YearsAmerica's taste for non-fortified wines |
| consumption was a lightning rod for these | | | | finally began to develop in the early 1960s. The |
| discriminatory points of view. Although not | | | | majority of these new wine drinkers were young, |
| accurate, alcoholism was seen as a problem only | | | | well-traveled, and relatively affluent. As the Baby |
| associated with certain ethnic groups that enjoyed | | | | Boom generation came of age, the ranks of wine |
| wine. Whiskey and beer was the actual source of | | | | drinkers increased. Even still, the majority of |
| vast majority of problematic inebriation. | | | | consumers bought simple, sweet wines.The early |
| Nonetheless, early prohibitionist forces were very | | | | 1980s saw the height of the frenzy to promote |
| effective at linking wine to the ills of American | | | | and sell inexpensive wines to the American public. |
| society.History of Wine Consumption During the | | | | The White Zinfandel rage was and continues to |
| 19th CenturyIn the 1830s, Americans consumed | | | | be a major part of the market. Total American |
| massive amounts of whiskey and beer. Alcoholism | | | | wine consumption reached an all-time high due to |
| was extremely widespread and was affecting the | | | | a massive influx of capital and advertising. Despite |
| stability of the American family. Husbands spent | | | | predictions of continued increases, it did not |
| time in the saloons instead of with their families, | | | | materialize.At the same time, overall alcohol |
| and rampant drunkedness increased instances of | | | | consumption decreased in the United States |
| philandering and crime.Ironically, as Prohibitionist | | | | during the 1980s. The anti-drug and alcohol |
| fervor gained national momentum in the | | | | movement justifyably discouraged dangerous |
| nineteenth century, the American wine industry | | | | levels of drug and alcohol ingestion. Unfortunately, |
| boomed. From 1860-1880, Phylloxera devastated | | | | extremists in the movement also attacked the |
| the vineyards of France. California wine production | | | | history of wine consumption in America. |
| greatly increased to fill the international void. Huge | | | | Zero-tolerance attitudes portrayed moderate wine |
| tracts of vineyards were planted in Southern | | | | consumption as not only hazardous to the |
| California to satisfy the international demand for | | | | individual, but also as detrimental to the entire |
| wine. However, most of this production was | | | | population.The Renaissance YearsIn the late |
| exported and it did not have a major impact on | | | | 1980s, jug wine consumption fell sharply. American |
| the history of wine consumption in America.By | | | | tastes were changing, and the market began to |
| the mid-1880s, European wine production | | | | demand wines with defined characteristics. Mike |
| rebounded, causing a glut of American wine. To | | | | Benziger's Glen Ellen Winery entered the void, |
| make matters worse, Pierce's Disease and | | | | creating the hugely popular "fighting varietals" |
| Phylloxera simultaneously struck Southern | | | | genre. These wines bridged the gap between the |
| California's vineyards. Rising population and real | | | | generic production of the past, and the boutique |
| estate values in the Los Angeles Basin was the | | | | wineries of the following decade.Much of |
| last nail in the coffin of extensive viticulture in the | | | | America's current interest in quality wine stems |
| region. With Prohibitionist attitudes constantly | | | | from a 1991 60 Minutes Program that examined |
| gaining momentum, American demand for wine | | | | the health benefits of moderate wine |
| was insufficient to make up for the loss of the | | | | consumption. The "French Paradox" is the fact |
| much larger European market.History of Wine | | | | that the French consume fatty foods, significant |
| During the Prohibition YearsIn response to the | | | | red wine, and have a very low incidence of heart |
| massive outcry of many Americans against | | | | disease. This news had a major impact on |
| alcohol consumption, Congress passed the 18th | | | | American wine consumption, especially in aging, |
| Amendment in 1917. It banned the commercial | | | | affluent demographic groups.The Future...Factors |
| production and sale of alcohol in America. The | | | | to ConsiderAs American society becomes |
| Volstead Act was ratified in 1920 and expounded | | | | increasingly more fast-paced and hectic, fewer |
| on the actual implementation of Prohibition. It also | | | | families are sitting down together for dinner. This |
| mandated several loopholes in alcohol production | | | | is not a positive sign for American wine |
| and consumption. Physicians could prescribe alcohol | | | | consumption as few people open up a bottle of |
| and it could be consumed for religious purposes. | | | | wine to drink with their drive-thru or take-out |
| Additionally, a head of household was legally | | | | dinners.Wine enjoyment is symtomatic of |
| allowed to produce 200 gallons of wine a year for | | | | relaxation, and these days American society is |
| personal use. This was largely a concession to the | | | | anything but relaxed. The history of wine is also |
| significant Italian-American electorate.Because of | | | | synonymous with stable family relationships, and |
| the Volstead Act, American wine consumption | | | | the divorce rate in the U.S. is currently about |
| actually increased during Prohibition. The traditional | | | | 50%.Furthermore, wine is a complicated subject |
| American alcoholic beverages of beer and distilled | | | | that generally requires a certain amount of leisure |
| spirits were illegal to produce and sell from | | | | time and money to become a true adherent. |
| 1920-1933. As a result, regions like Lodi saw a | | | | Additionally, wine has an unflattering image |
| massive increase in demand for grapes used for | | | | amongst many American alcohol consumers who |
| home winemaking.Prohibition did not curtail the | | | | prefer beer or liquor. In my opinion, there are |
| American apetite for alcohol, it merely destroyed | | | | limits to how large the quality wine market can |
| the legal framework that governed alcohol sales. | | | | increase.On a more positive note, the American |
| Due to the inaccessibility of alcohol, the use of | | | | population is aging, and older, more affluent people |
| other drugs, including cocaine and marijauna | | | | tend to enjoy wine more than other demographic |
| greatly increased. Additionally, the government lost | | | | groups. Hopefully they will pass their appreciation |
| a major source of revenue from taxing alcohol as | | | | of wine to the next generation.In many ways, the |
| organize crime took over the means of | | | | history of wine consumption in the U.S. is a |
| production and distribution. The American public | | | | microcosm of both the positives and negatives |
| became increasingly dissolutioned with the | | | | that have come with the innate American |
| government's stubborn attempt to attain the | | | | experience. Studying the history of wine |
| impossible.The 21st Amendment: Repeal of | | | | consumption in the U.S. illuminates the political, |
| ProhibitionAfter a decade of the "noble | | | | cultural, religious, and racial diversity that has made |
| experiment", Congress passed the 21st | | | | the nation what it is today.America has a |
| Amendment. It ended national Prohibition and | | | | relatively small but growing population of |
| transferred the authority to allow or ban | | | | wine-lovers. Although the number of regular wine |
| production and sale of alcohol to individual states. | | | | drinkers are far from being a majority, they will |
| Many states relegated this authority to the | | | | continue to grow as the population ages. Future |
| county level. Counties in some states prohibit | | | | trends will probably include an increase in |
| alcohol to this day. The history of wine production | | | | consumption of quality varietals grown in specific, |
| and sales since the repeal of Prohibition has been | | | | terroir-driven locations. |
| governed by the 21st Amendment, not the free | | | | |