Yes, Wine Industry…Mommies Will Switch From Wine to Dope

dopeglass“The question for the wine industry is whether marijuana consumption could replace any portion of wine (alcohol) consumption.
This isn’t the right question. The right question is: what portion of wine consumption will marijuana consumption replace?

The first question was apparently the topic of conversation at a session during the recent Unified Symposium that dwelt on “historic and emerging disruptions to the wine industry.” I’m absolutely convinced that the coming state-by-state legalization of marijuana will replace some wine consumption. How could it not?

It would be the height of naiveté to deny that some people drink wine for the primary reason of getting high. We aren’t talking drunkards here. Those who use wine to feed severe alcoholism are a tiny minority of wine drinkers. However, there is a larger group that drinks wine for the “buzz”. It doesn’t take much. Two or three glasses will do the trick.

Marijuana is no different. Neither is scotch. Neither is vodka. Neither is beer. There will be a portion of the buzz community that currently uses drink to relax that will turn to marijuana as it becomes legalized. As to where the greatest amount of buzz replacement will take place, my money is on those who buy the “Mommy Juice”.

Those women (and men) who regularly take down two or three glasses of wine in the late afternoon and evenings while they prepare dinner, eat dinner clean up dinner, put the kids to bed and take time for themselves later will, I think, be the ones that choose instead to step out on to the porch or into the garage and take a hit…or two.

And we know what the Mommy Juicers drink: sweet red blends and sweet Chardonnay in that $8-$20 price category. We don’t have to name names.

How much replacement of dope for wine will there be? I’m not sure. But we will know in about five years when we get the first really good trend data from Colorado. We’ll know for sure in 10 years after juicers in other states have had a few years to contemplate their legal buzz alternatives.

We will obviously see a greater rate of switch over to dope among younger drinkers. Don’t count on many Baby Boomers, let alone the Silents, to make the switch from liquid to smoke. They will be set in their ways. It will be the Millennials and Generation Z that take share from wine and other liquids.

I do however think the high-end of the wine market is relatively safe. The purchase of the $50 and up wines represents a pretty small percentage of all wine purchases and these purchases represent more to the buyer than simply a gateway to a buzz that marijuana probably can’t replace.

So, those in the business of producing and selling Mommy Juice need to start thinking how they will defend their turf. The wholesalers of Mommy Juice are already thinking about it as they eye the marijuana distribution opportunities.


4 Responses

  1. Yes, Wine Industry…Mommies Will Switch From Wine to Dope – Fermentation | Ποδήλατο καφέ - podilato caffè- (bicicletta caffè, bicycle cafe, bisiklet kahve, bicicleta café, café vélo, قهوه دوچرخه , 自行車咖啡, биц - February 9, 2016

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  2. Trish - February 10, 2016

    Hmmm…I’m under the impression that wine isn’t just called ‘mommy juice’, #1. #2 I think the serious and mature wine drinkers in general probably prefer the taste and effect of wine over pot, or else they’d probably be potheads, or, fans of hitting it a time or two per night, as your suggest. Just my opinion.

    There’s nothing wrong with being a ‘pothead’, mind you. I believe in its medicinal value, both mind and body. I am not a fan of it for myself and know a ton of people who think and feel the same. For myself and my fellow wine fans, wine has a particular taste that we love and look forward to. We aren’t nesessarily looking for that ‘buzz’ you refer to. Wine actually tastes good to some folks!

    I enjoyed your article, however. Great read and nicely written. Thank you for sharing!

  3. Happy Holi - February 17, 2016

    This was really an interesting topic and I kinda agree with what you have mentioned here!

  4. Kurt - February 17, 2016

    I’m a winemaker who absolutely loves to drink wine for it’s taste and it’s complementary effect on a good meal. I also enjoy the effects of alcohol sometimes, other times not so much.
    For me though I think I prefer cannabis as a ‘nightcap’ if I’m going to have one. I know many others both in the wine industry and out that practice the same. Cannbis does make a great replacement for alcohol in the right setting and I absolutely agree that it’s legalization has potential to cut into alcohol sales.
    I also think that’s a good thing.


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