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