Boozy brinkmanship

Sydney has reached the stage of feeling Baltic even with temperatures in the high teens, which means it’s time to take refuge in a pub with a good glass of red.

Or perhaps not. This week, De Bortoli announced it was ripping out vineyards in response to plummeting demand, particularly from Gen Z.

It’s the latest hit to an industry that has found itself on the frontlines of cultural shifts. Zoomers are drinking less, partly because of financial pressures and partly due to more education about the effects of alcohol (the bad ones, we presume). 

Even the anaemic housing supply is having an impact, with Young Henrys’ brewery at risk of being demolished for new apartments.

When they do make it out to bars, young Americans are now being criticised for failing to open a bar tab. 

But surely the greatest booze-related crime to have appeared recently is the Australian tradition of queuing single file in pubs spreading around the world. 

Avoid red wine, consider your health, don’t open a tab, prioritise housing - live your best life. But please, stop the madness of so-called snaking.