2 min readMay 21, 2026 07:21 AM IST First published on: May 21, 2026 at 06:15 AM ISTWhat happens when the land where wine snobbery is supposed to have originated suddenly finds itself to be a nation of beer drinkers? According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, France is for the first time consuming more beer than wine — 10 million litres more, to be precise. For the land of Burgundy, Merlot and Bordeaux, that is sobering news indeed.Part of the reason could well be generational. Gen Z’s aversion to drinking has been reported from across the US and Europe, where alcohol sales have fallen by about 20 per cent. When they do drink, beer is the tipple of choice, thanks to the rising cost of living and the decline of the “hang-out” culture in favour of digital socialisation (or isolation): Not only is beer cheaper, it is also considered a more “casual” drink. In France, in particular, wine — still associated with the daily ceremony of sit-down meals — is considered too stuffy by a generation that prefers to eat on the go.AdvertisementYet, those celebrating the end of what they see as elitist circus around wine should perhaps hold off on ordering another round. The bowineom in France’s craft beer industry, with brewers and consumers bringing their appreciation for “terroir” and other wine-related concepts to “bierologie”, indicates that the affectations have merely been displaced onto a new subject. In other words, what was once prized in wine, is now sought in beer: Le snobbery est mort, vive le snobbery.