Is the current wisdom about moderation actually true? That’s what Lulie wondered as she watched two couples at a sporting match set out to get wasted with four bottles of wine and a set of pint glasses. How does that stack up against the two-thirds of drinkers who claim to be moderating?

And Felicity has been buried in public health research and discovered a very unusual trend emerging — for a growing number of Gen Z, saying “no” to alcohol isn’t the sacrifice. It’s the pleasure. From young Australians who think that sobriety equals authenticity, to Swedish Gen Zs who create occasions for moderation, the evidence is building that control is something young people want for its own sake.

But here’s the paradox — rates of binge drinking are rising. How can all of this be reconciled?

Lulie and Felicity unpack the research and ask whether a new, more extreme style of drinking is emerging. It’s all or nothing — which is bad news for the middle.

Plus, the emergence of orderly pub queues, the strange death of the round, and a look at Diageo’s 20% ABV gamble.

Meet Your Hosts:

Lulie Halstead founded and led international consumer research and strategy consultancy Wine Intelligence, and led it to a successful PE exit. Today she is a renowned global beverage alcohol and wine sector specialist, focused on consumer behaviour, strategy, retail and hospitality. An accomplished keynote speaker, she has spoken at more than 70 international events over the past 20 years.

Felicity Carter is an award-winning wine and drinks journalist, editor and content strategist. She led Meininger’s Wine Business International to become the world’s most must-read wine trade magazine, and was founding Executive Editor of The Drop/Pix, which the Wall Street Journal named one of the most trusted sources of wine information. A regular keynote speaker, she was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly. Her Drinks Insider podcast won the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Award for Audio.