Hi, this is Vanessa, your ENLIGHTENMENT salon host.

All the headlines I read about wine now describe it as a bitter harvest. Apparently, the wine industry is in “a crisis, “a bloodbath” and “experiencing the worst market conditions since Prohibition..” Across the globe, thousands of acres of grapes went unsold this year and have been left to rot on the vine. That’s a big hit for California, which produces nearly 90% of America’s wines.

The explanations for why are abundant: Gen Z drinking less alcohol; inflation and tariffs; climate change and rising temperatures; an influx of new beverage choices; and more.

Still, wine has been around for thousands of years, so hopefully the industry will adapt. What are some of the ways — and wines — that can help it rebound?

I’ve put that question to a few wine experts around town, asking them if they could create a special “Future of Wine” tasting as an ENLIGHTENMENT salon talk. They’ll choose a variety of wines they believe reflect where wine is (or should be) going, we’ll taste them, and then we’ll all talk. There is a fee for the wine tasting, which will probably average around $25 and never go over $40.

First up is Melissa Sanchez of ALMA Wine Bar and Shop in Downtown Sacramento. She only serves wine from independent producers and is intentional in highlighting winemakers of color, women winemakers, and LGBTQ+ winemakers. Last time I was there, I was surrounded by wine-drinking Gen Zers, so it seems like Melissa is picking the right wines!

If you’re interested in the tasting, please sign up here to show that you’re interested, and I’ll contact you shortly with details and pricing.. There is limited seating for the tasting, so the first who pay for their tasting (via Venmo, PayPal or Zelle) are the first ones to claim their spots.

This is the first of a few I’m scheduling for 2026, so stay tuned!