By Doug Fabbioli

As 2026 begins, it is important to recognize things that can be improved from the previous year or years. Some adjustments may be easy while others more challenging. For both, a well-thought-out and vetted plan for improvement would be a promising idea. It sure would stink if in the efforts to improve the situation, you end up behind where you started. The improvements I am looking for are the stability and improvement of wine sales for our business and others in the industry. What is my solution? More mentoring of the next generation to develop more wine aficionados like us!

As I have mentioned in previous columns, I have 3 younger folks I am working with in three different operations who are the perfect age for our target audience. If these folks can develop their wine knowledge and their mentoring skills, we can hopefully increase our wine consumers. Let us admit it, wine can be a stuffy and intimidating beverage arena to enter and comfortably enjoy. There are lots of assorted styles, regions, grapes, sweetness levels, and winemaking techniques. No wonder we have fewer young people consuming wines, the complexity of the industry has made us harder to approach.

Starting off with a few simple steps can be quite rewarding. Each of the folks in the industry must know enough of their own products to share with family and friends. A good mentor can create a safe learning environment for the mentee to ask questions, try assorted flavors, and start to connect with the wines a little bit more. There are no dumb questions and there is no pressure to perform. When a person is learning wine, they are learning about foods and flavors as well. Grape varieties, processing techniques, and regions come into play later as to why different flavors or feels come out of a wine. Eventually, the potential flaws of a wine will be addressed whether it be spoilage, corked, structure or any 100 different issues. That is when things can begin to get a lot more complex.

One critical piece of mentoring wine folks, or anybody for that matter, is critiquing in a way that keeps them engaged. Nobody likes to be corrected. But to improve, each of us needs to park our ego aside and trust the mentor giving the critique that they are doing this for our gain. I have had some great mentors in the past, and I try to remember those challenging points from when I was mentored. This keeps me focused so hopefully my coaching is received and put into practice.

My goal for the wine geeks reading this today would be to consider mentoring a young person to taste some of your special nectar. Every bottle has an extra taste for a newbie, and every wine aficionado can share a bit of their passion moving forward to the next generation. The time and the wine together will build a relationship and another wine lover for the next generation. Winemakers are always willing to share information on their wines and the processes. Bring a new person to the tasting room for a special experience. We always want our vineyards and wines to have fans!

Happy New Year to all and I hope it is a healthy and happy year for all!

About the Author: Farmer, winemaker, entrepreneur, educator, and leader, Doug Fabbioli has been accelerating the growth and quality of Virginia’s wine industry since 1997. With his wife Colleen, Doug is the owner/operator of Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg, VA. He is the founder and director of The New Ag School, which focuses on teaching the next generation of farmers and agriculture-related leaders. No wonder they call Doug Fabbioli the Godfather of DC’s Wine Country.