What Wines Were Hot in the 1980s?

Yesterday, I got to go to a friend’s 50^th birthday party where the theme was the 1980s. So, what did I do? I bought some shoulder pads and leg warmers and teased up my hair. But that led me to think about what wines were hot in the 1980s. Ready to have some fun going down memory lane?

If You’re Thinking the 1980s, You’ve Gotta Be Thinking Wine Coolers!

Specifically, Bartles & James wine coolers. Do you remember their hilarious ads? Here’s one to get you started. https://bit.ly/3mGh5Ry

While I liked wine in the 1980s, I loved Bartles & James. We used to go dancing every weekend, and we found the Bartles & James wine coolers to be incredibly refreshing. And we never got tipsy. Okay, I just looked up the alcohol content: 3.2%! Now I understand why we never got tipsy 🙂

And Don’t Forget White Zinfandel!

According to Sutter Home’s website, In 1987, Sutter Home White Zinfandel became the best-selling premium wine in the United States, growing from 25,000 cases in 1981 to over 4.5 million cases. Their use of the term premium seems a bit over the top. But hey, White Zinfandel was the cool wine back then. It was a great starter wine for people just getting into wine. And it became the basis for the roaring popularity of Rosé wines.

Did Anybody Say Anything About Chardonnay?

Joseph Temple wrote in his blog, “If you were a child of the 80s, you might remember Chardonnay as the wine your yuppie parents ordered at a fancy restaurant.  That’s because as California exploded onto the national scene, Chardonnay—the state’s largest varietal—also became its signature grape.  Following the Judgment of Paris in 1976, a surge of interest in Golden State wines swept the nation.  And in looking to differentiate themselves from the region’s mass-produced wines, experienced chardonnay growers came up with a brilliant marketing strategy.  Instead of generic categories, their wines would be labeled by varietal, which quickly became the industry standard.  All of a sudden, if you wanted to be in-vogue, you asked the waiter for ‘a glass of Chardonnay’ instead of a ‘glass of white wine.’”

And How About Sparkling Wine?

Before 1980, Champagne and Sparkling Wine were reserved for special occasions like weddings and graduations. But in the 1980s, thanks to the yuppie movement, bubbly soon became the drink of choice among individuals wanting to show off their newly-acquired affluence. The show-off aspect was very important to these up-and-comers.

What are your favorite wine memories from the 1980s?