Well, we're still looking at an industry in a bit of a state of flux right now. As one travels around the wine regions, there are still grapes hanging in some vineyards where the fruit didn't get sold this year. (That's tough on the farmer as she's put all the expenses in, but with no return.)
The smaller crop this year has may be both a curse and a blessing. The initial thoughts on the quality of the vintage (not just by me, but by others too) is that it's a good year, with the word "intensity" being used a lot. It's nice to hear the media picking up on this story rather than just the "woe is me" story of sales being down with fewer tasters. And with a smaller crop of grapes, this may help out the bulk market for wine which has been in a state of oversupply for some time. We don't talk about the bulk market that often, but it is the ebb and flow of the industry, maintaining a balance in production (on an individual winery level).
But let's go back to the "fewer people drinking wine" aspect. Like I've mentioned in the past, I think the struggle the wine industry is having is a complicated one, not just people drinking less. There may be some truth to this (although we're still seeing wine lovers here), but it could be the affordability of wine (which certainly impacts an introduction to wine for Gen Z).
But still, the bigger concern I have is that people just aren't getting together as much as they used to, either at the pub, the restaurant, or at the house. Thus the impact on wineries is more of a symptom of the larger problem. We humans are social beings, and we need that connection.
If I were a wine doctor, yes, I would prescribe a glass of wine with friends at least three times a week. It would bolster your immune system as well as revitalize your brain with interesting discussions! And truly, isn't that what wine is for?
Wine is meant to be the conduit to getting together and elevating the experience. But what if you turned that idea around a bit. We all have a selection of wines sitting on our shelves at home that we are waiting for the perfect event to enjoy. But what if we instead said, I'm opening up this bottle of wine on Tuesday...who do I want to share it with? Don't worry about the food pairings. Don't worry about the state of cleanliness of the house. Don't worry about what might happen tomorrow and instead just embrace inviting someone over to shoot the breeze. The wine is simply the excuse to get together.
This is my sense of "Come Over October". It's clever marketing (and fun to say), but the point is to give us fuller lives by enjoying time with friends and neighbors by means of having a glass of wine. We're going to be seeing more of this from the wine industry, and it should be considered a PSA for humanity!
So, invite friends over, gather, have great conversations and enjoy a nice glass of wine. Be the trendsetter, and be part of the solution! "Come Over October" (and November, December, January...you get the drift!)