photo credit: Tina Caputo
The Frog's Leap Winery's Garden bar.

A Gallup survey released this month found that just 54% of Americans say they consume alcoholic beverages. That’s the lowest rate since the firm began tracking consumption habits in 1939. The 2025 poll marks the third consecutive year of declines—with a majority Americans saying they agree that even drinking in moderation is bad for one’s health.

The poll also found that people who do imbibe are consuming less. This trend is causing a shift at local winery tasting rooms—with a growing number of visitors choosing not to drink.

That shift hasn’t gone unnoticed by Lucinda Wolf. She’s spent the last 28 years as a tasting room host in Napa Valley—currently at Frog’s Leap in Rutherford.

“They're here more for the experience,” she said. “They come because it's beautiful and they get to see grapes on the vine.”

Wolf attributes the change to a recent rash of anti-alcohol messaging in the news.

“I am of the opinion that there's definitely a neo-prohibitionist movement happening,” Wolf said. “The press, particularly the health press, has been very negative about the effects of alcohol.”

Whatever the reason behind the trend, wineries are looking for ways to welcome nondrinking guests without losing money during an industry downturn.

Frog’s Leap winery recently started charging all guests for visits—including those who choose not to taste. Tori Williams, the winery’s director of grounds and gardens, said this is something many wineries are grappling with right now.

“People used to roll up and you'd be so glad there was a customer, you'd rush right out and give 'em a glass of wine and hope they buy something,” she said. “Now, Napa Valley has established itself as a world-class destination unto itself, with or without the wine, and that presents some unique challenges to businesses who survive on the ability to sell their guests their product.”

In previous years, Williams said, maybe 3 or 4% of tasting room visitors didn’t drink. Now, it’s closer to 20%.

“If 20% of the guests in your tasting experience are not going to drink,” she said, “we can't do that without charging some sort of a fee in order to cover the cost of maintaining the space.”

That’s not to say that nondrinking guests are left with empty glasses.

“You receive a lovely, thoughtful, handcrafted, nonalcoholic beverage in a real wine glass,” Williams said, “and you join your friends in the experience.”

Though the winery has heard some complaints about the new policy, Williams points out that the purpose of a tasting room is to have people come and enjoy your wine—and it costs money to pay hospitality staff and maintain a beautiful winery estate.

“That doesn't feel unreasonable, I hope,” she said. “And I hope that people walk away feeling like since they had to pay for something, they got a good experience.”