Well, it is time for another article in my local Spring Branch Plus publication (actually, it is time for two since I forgot to alert you to last month’s article).

In case you haven’t noticed, the wine industry is in a bit of a funk these days, with many wineries reporting that sales are down, some as much as 30%. Just about every week it seems, another producer announces it is closing for good, and many across the industry are scrambling to find quick fixes and long-term solutions.

I contend that at least some of the current predicament has been self-inflicted; there are some in the wine industry that seem determined to lecture consumers about how they are doing it all wrong, that there is a right way to drink wine and if you don’t follow certain rules, well, you are a moron.

No one likes to be called a moron.

There are also considerable financial barriers to consuming wine the “right” way, between tasting room fees, “proper” stemware, and even wine storage systems. It is no wonder that young people don’t seem to have much interest in wine; it’s too expensive and there are too many rules.

When is the last time anyone felt the need to buy a whole new set of glasses so that they could better enjoy their bud light? When have you ever been scoffed at when consuming a Negroni with your oysters?

In April, I tackled the wine pairing idiocy. If you want to have Cabernet with your Cod, or Riesling with your Ribeye? I say go for it.

This month, I go after the wine stems that range from $25-500 for “proper” stemware. What are we doing? The point, I think, should be to get people drinking wine. You want to drink it out of a red Solo cup with an ice cube? Go for it.

Don’t be shy to let me know what you think!

Here is the link to Spring Branch Plus:

And here is a screenshot of my April article (click on it to go to Spring Branch Plus, it’s on pages 10-11):

And here is the May article (click on it to go to Spring Branch Plus, it’s on pages 16-17):