The next time you walk into your favorite local restaurant don’t be surprised to find more and more 21-34 year-olds drinking wine, and enjoying it too. New wine drinkers are popping up all the time and it shouldn’t be that surprising. For a demographic sometimes known for drinking Coke for breakfast it makes sense that they would gravitate towards a wine that offers similar characteristics.
Before you laugh at the thought that soda and wine have anything in common, think for a second. Soda and sweet red wines have a lot in common and have become the perfect gateway wine to help young people make the transition to more sophisticated beverages.
Sweet red wines lack the tannins and acidity of traditional reds like the cabernet sauvignon. Growing up with a taste for things sweet and bubbly, and in a time when a liter of soda is cheaper than a liter of water it’s no wonder why sweet red wines have taken off. Also, the proliferation of wine tastings that offer to teach you about wine and chocolate pairings is another reason.
While it is widely thought that most sweet red wines are just intelligently marketed crap, you can find the right fit for your evening. Traditionally, your best option were for sweet red wine was Manishchewitz. Today, Lambrusco is bursting onto the scene with reasonably priced bottles and a great taste boot.