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California winery owner gives hottest take yet on why industry is dying
nypost.com ^ | Feb. 25, 2026 | Ross O'Keefe

Posted on 02/26/2026 6:34:32 AM PST by V_TWIN

US News Metro Long Island Politics World News Metro California winery owner gives hottest take yet on why industry is dying By Ross O'Keefe Published Feb. 25, 2026, 6:43 p.m. ET

503 Today's Video Headlines

00:10 / 00:50 The owner of a Sonoma County winery believes the industry is dying because baby boomers are.

Jon Phillips, the owner of Sonoma County winery Inspiration Vineyards and Winery, told The Post that the population decline of the industry’s top wine-consuming generation has led to a recent downturn in sales.

“A lot of people have a misconception that the boomers are drinking less,” he said. “This cannot be emphasized enough: It’s not because the boomers are drinking less, it’s because there are less boomers.”

He says in conjunction with the declining baby boomer demand is less interest from younger generations like Gen Z and millennials, who have slowly adopted wine. Other factors like tariffs and recent wildfires have hurt wine-growing and producing operations, he added. He also pins declining sales on new negative messaging concerning alcohol.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: boomers; california; winery
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To: FamiliarFace

Fewer. Amen. If you count it, use fewer. If you measure, less.

A pet peeve (one of many) from one of my teachers.

Nauseous and nauseated was another. When I’m nauseated, I sometimes vomit; but when I get nauseous, my wife gets sick of my behavior very quickly.

And busses are not forms of transportation, either. They are either forms of greeting or electrical components.


61 posted on 02/26/2026 2:10:24 PM PST by StAntKnee (Add your own danged sarc tag)
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To: StAntKnee

Never realized that busses weren’t forms of transportation, so thanks for that one!

More tips:
Not sure whether to use I or me when using “and”? Take off the other part.

Do you say “she and me went to the grocery store” or “she and I”? Take off the “she”, say it again and it becomes obvious. “I went to the grocery store.” , not “me went to the grocery store.”

How about another example when it’s the object. —> Is it correct to say, “Sally baked cookies for Johnny and I” or “Johnny and me”? Remove Johnny, and you’ll see that “Sally baked cookies for me” is correct, and “Sally baked cookies for I.” is incorrect.

Don’t get me started on “could of went”.


62 posted on 02/26/2026 2:37:55 PM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: V_TWIN
I get he has a right to make a profit, I just think California wine has always been overpriced.....especially from the Napa region.

It's only overpriced if you're outside of California, which I highly recommend you be. However, it is some of the best wine in the world, if you're into that sort of thing. And Napa is a beautiful place, except for all the fags.
63 posted on 02/26/2026 3:01:52 PM PST by fr_freak (So foul a sky clears not without a storm.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
I don’t think I’ve seen a single article saying that young people are avoiding alcohol because they prefer cannabis...But it seems to me that this has to be a big part of the picture.

Weed is waaaaaay cheaper than booze. That's probably why the alcohol industry demonized it so much. And you don't get a hangover from weed. Unfortunately, you do get a very bad smell, but that can be mitigated by using vapes or edibles.

And this is just my baseless observation, but weed seems to jibe better with the more progressive, snowflaky mentality that a lot of the younger generations have. Alcohol is just too...aggressive...for them.
64 posted on 02/26/2026 3:07:36 PM PST by fr_freak (So foul a sky clears not without a storm.)
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To: V_TWIN

Not a wine drinker, But my favorite wine has always been Bonnes Farm Strawberry Hill. ;-)


65 posted on 02/26/2026 3:10:23 PM PST by HP8753 (Live Free!!!! .............or don't. )
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To: FamiliarFace

Funny. This may be the longest conversation I’ve had on FR, not involving flamethrowers.

Got a memory aid for like and as? Always defeats me.


66 posted on 02/26/2026 3:17:31 PM PST by StAntKnee (Add your own danged sarc tag)
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To: StAntKnee

This website suggests replacing “as” with “the way” for a quick check.
Read more here:
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/commonly-confused-words/like-vs-as/

I have troubles with “lie” and “lay”. I look it up most of the time.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/how-to-use-lay-and-lie


67 posted on 02/26/2026 4:23:04 PM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: one guy in new jersey

The grim reaper is hot on my tail. I’m not QUITE dead yet. But, I don’t really want to face the peril.


68 posted on 02/26/2026 7:52:01 PM PST by SomeCallMeTim
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To: drwoof
Demographics, including our cultural roots, have changed. Wine just doesn’t have the meaning it used to for so many people.

Even among "Heritage Americans", our culture is not what it used to be. Many of us grew up in broken homes. Etc. Etc.

69 posted on 02/26/2026 8:37:18 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Well understood, and a very good point.


70 posted on 02/27/2026 6:03:45 AM PST by drwoof
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