Wine Isn’t Just for Old White Dudes Anymore

Let’s just put it out there. Being a millennial woman in the wine industry isn’t a glass of chilled Gamay. It’s more like trying to open a bottle with a broken corkscrew while three middle-aged men watch and tell you you’re doing it wrong.

Every move is under a microscope. Every opinion is treated like a bold take instead of a valid perspective. Add being young into the mix and suddenly you’re dismissed before you’ve even finished your first sentence.

The wine world is still overwhelmingly male. And not just male—snobby. You know the type. The ones who slide into your comments to correct your tasting notes. The ones who assume you’re only on Instagram for attention. The ones who think you can’t possibly know what you’re talking about because you’re not swirling your glass in a blazer with elbow patches.

What they forget is this: we’re the generation raised on WiFi. We know how to use social media. We know how to turn engagement into education. We’re the ones turning wine into something accessible, not aspirational. While the gatekeepers were busy hoarding jargon and judging people’s wine preferences, we built blogs and brands and communities. We made wine fun again.

Millennial women are creating content that actually connects. We’re speaking a language that makes sense to people who are curious about wine but don’t want to be condescended to. And those people are listening. They’re learning. They’re spending their money on wines we recommend, not because we told them to, but because we made it approachable.

Wine is supposed to bring people together. It’s not supposed to come with a quiz or a lecture. And the thing is, none of us knows everything about wine. That’s part of the fun. There’s always more to taste, more to learn, more to explore.

I’ve experienced more wine snobbery from Instagram and tasting rooms than anywhere else. Ironically, my actual jobs in wine have been full of support. My coworkers and I correct each other when we need to and cheer each other on when we grow. That’s how it should be.

Tasting rooms, though? A different story. The number of times someone has looked me up and down and said, “Just so you know, our wines aren’t sweet,” is wild. First of all, I know. Second of all, I didn’t ask. Third of all, if I wanted sweet wine, I would’ve gone straight to the grocery store and picked up a bottle with a kangaroo on it.

And yet, the unsolicited advice and the unsolicited opinions keep coming. “Don’t judge it by how dry it is,” someone once said while eavesdropping. Buddy, I’ll judge a wine by whatever I want. My palate, my rules.

Here’s the truth. I love wine. I’m going to keep learning about it. And I belong in this industry just as much as someone with a pin on their lapel and a laminated exam score. We’re contributing something different and desperately needed.

Wine is for everyone. I’ll say it again and again. If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong in the wine world because you didn’t know enough, let me be the one to tell you: you absolutely belong. Being curious is enough. Loving wine is enough. Wanting to learn is enough.

And if you drink wine for the taste and not just to get drunk, congratulations. You’re already part of the club.

Thanks for being here. You’re welcome anytime.