With global wine consumption in decline, how should wine be communicated today?
The wine industry stands at a major crossroads: will it continue to sink, or can it acquire new drinkers through fresh approaches and achieve a dramatic resurgence?
If we are to expand wine's broader audience anew, an approach from an unconventional perspective, rather than the traditional methods, will surely be required.
As of July 2026, undergraduate students in the Department of Design Engineering at Shibaura Institute of Technology are reportedly tackling a unique assignment: designing an "entryway experience" into specialized domains using wine as the theme.
This time, we interviewed Shika Aizawa, CEO of REX BRAND Inc., who provided this assignment.
We asked Ms. Aizawa, who provides brand consulting specializing in luxury branding, about how to communicate "wine" and its future from her unique perspective.
Communicating "Japanese Luxury"
REX BRAND Inc. is a brand consulting firm specializing in luxury branding.
CEO Shika Aizawa is active as a Luxury Expert®︎, luxury branding consultant, and branding instructor at a branding educational organization.
We asked her how she acquired her luxury branding skills, the career trajectory she followed, and how she arrived at the path of independence.
Aizawa: "My career began at a semiconductor precision machinery manufacturer, which I joined as a fresh graduate.
After that, I handled marketing and brand management at luxury brands including Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and luxury cruisers. Through those experiences, I learned firsthand how to communicate value and design customer experiences in luxury brands, which led to my current activities."
Ms. Aizawa continues her work with the desire to deliver Japan's wonderful products and services to the world as "Japanese Luxury."
Why "Japanese Luxury"?
Aizawa: "Personally, I love Europe and have traveled there over 40 times. Looking back now, coming into contact with European luxury culture may have had a major impact on my career formation.
Around that time, I had the opportunity to visit a certain place in Portland, Oregon, USA. When I visited the Portland Japanese Garden located in Washington Park overlooking the city, there was a long line despite it being early morning.
Partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, other places were deserted, yet only the Japanese garden was extremely popular. I was astonished when I saw the local staff explaining 'wabi-sabi' in depth to the visitors there.
I felt, 'Even though I am Japanese, could I put Japanese aesthetics and spirituality into words to this extent?' Japanese quality and spirituality are objects of admiration from around the world.
And yet, I had been working on providing overseas brands to Japan. However, luxury brands originating from Japan have not yet been fully communicated to the world. That is precisely why I decided to go independent—to use my background to help build 'Japanese Luxury' and foster human resources."
Ms. Aizawa is currently active across diverse fields, including consulting for the creation of luxury brands in Japan and working as a branding instructor.
Among those activities, a particularly unique example was Pentel's "Art Crayon" project.
Aizawa: "One of our businesses is branding to enhance the brand value of three categories: high-end goods, traditional crafts, and everyday items.
Among them, everyday items are particularly fascinating, involving work like 'creating brand value by presenting everyday products in a different light.' The Pentel 'Art Crayon' project that I participated in previously won an Excellence Award at the '2024 BRAND MANAGEMENT AWARD®️' (organized by the Brand Manager Association of Japan).
Pentel is known as an art supply manufacturer, and this was a case of elevating 'drawing materials for children' into 'art crayons for adults.' The Art Crayons became a major topic on crowdfunding, and for an exhibition calling for general public submissions held one year after release, over 2,200 entries were received."
The luxury methodologies Ms. Aizawa utilizes are said to be developed with "experience design" as the foundation.
While manufacturers tend to emphasize spec descriptions, luxury methods based on "experience design" are the key to profoundly moving customers' hearts, she says.
Since wine is also a product where specs are heavily emphasized, "experience design" could hold significance in capturing a new audience.
Designing an "Entryway Experience" into Specialized Domains Using Wine as a Theme
While Ms. Aizawa continues to educate and create the culture of luxury in Japan, she is actually deeply knowledgeable about wine.
Her love for wine grew to the point where she also earned the "J.S.A. Wine Expert" certification.
Such being her background, Ms. Aizawa provided an assignment using wine as a theme for students in the "Project Learning Exercise" of the Department of Design Engineering, College of Engineering and Design at Shibaura Institute of Technology.
We asked about the background and the content of the wine-themed assignment.
Aizawa: "Through a connection, I had the opportunity to provide an assignment for the 'Project Learning Exercise' in the Department of Design Engineering, College of Engineering and Design at Shibaura Institute of Technology.
The purpose of the exercise was 'how to approach people who encounter a new specialized domain to help them learn about it.' To put it more simply, it is an assignment to think about methods to first spark interest in a world someone has never experienced, and then encourage them to keep learning about it continuously."
Ms. Aizawa considered assignments based on the value of luxury, but struggled with the fact that the worldview of luxury was too far removed from university students.
Aizawa: "I thought through various ideas for the assignment, and suddenly realized that 'wine' was the ideal theme.
Even with the same grape variety, tastes differ by production region; suitable varieties exist based on latitude and climate; and while it is basically a simple beverage made by fermenting grapes, price differences are vast.
Furthermore, newer is not necessarily better, and some wines derive value from aging; wine is tied to history; and, like Château Mouton Rothschild, it has deep ties to art—incorporating numerous elements that serve as axes for measuring value. Wine, which has refined agriculture to this extent, is truly a treasure trove of hints for branding."
And the decided assignment theme was: "Designing an 'Entryway Experience' into a Specialized Domain."
The subtitle was "Creating Moments When Perspectives on Value Change, Starting from Wine."
Aizawa: "At the midterm presentation, each of the three groups conceived an entryway to wine from a different angle.
There were proposals to make wine feel more approachable, proposals to visualize the elements that constitute value, and proposals to experience how perception of the same wine changes depending on space, words, glassware, and lighting.
What was particularly impressive was that the students tried to grasp wine not merely by taste or brand, but from contexts such as scenes, words, spaces, and memories. I feel this is a very important perspective when considering an entryway for those learning about wine for the first time."
During the presentations, one group visually expressed wine tastes by layering colors like geological strata in wine glasses to represent origins, varieties, and climates.
There were many unique presentations, such as a group that introduced wine as an experiential value—presenting ideas like drinking the same wine with the room lights dimmed, or comparing how it tastes in a room surrounded by luxury furniture versus an ordinary room.
Aizawa: "How do we get people who don't know wine to knock on this new door and grow the fan base? Precisely because this is the AI era, I look forward to them creating experience designs that do not end as mere reading material.
It would be wonderful to see presentations that emphasize uniquely human experiential value design, involving sight, hearing, touch, and smell."
Hints for Cultivating New Audiences
Previously, the news reported in the British newspaper The Times that "beer consumption surpassed wine consumption in France" sent major shockwaves across the globe.
Factors behind this reportedly include wine being difficult, high in alcohol, overly authoritarian, perceived as an older person's drink, expensive, and having high alcohol content.
Whatever the reasons, it is certain that conventional methods have reached their limits for revitalizing the wine market, and there is no future unless younger generations are captured as drinkers.
We asked Ms. Aizawa for hints on changing this situation from her unique viewpoint—having worked on branding that communicates value to many people from fresh perspectives while preserving luxury brand worth, rather than catering solely to a handful of VIPs.
Aizawa: "Regarding the news that more beer is being consumed than wine in France, one factor in the background might be the heat caused by climate change.
This touches on external factors, so it may be a separate issue, but the need to refreshingly quench one's thirst rather than savoring slowly may be increasing. Wine has an average alcohol content of 11% to 12%. That is by no means low.
Personally, I feel having a wider range of alcohol levels, such as 5% to 6%, would broaden options. Low-alcohol style wines around 8% already exist, such as Vinho Verde from Portugal."
Wine's alcohol content has been pointed out for some time, and low-alcohol beverages are attracting attention, particularly among health-conscious and younger demographics.
Aizawa: "Wine has a beautiful culture of opening a bottle with a sommelier knife, pouring it into a glass, and savoring it while observing its color and aroma. I believe those manners and gestures are part of wine's appeal.
However, that sophisticated way of enjoying it can also feel like a barrier to first-timers. Buying a full bottle, preparing wine glasses, and putting aromas and flavors into words is a rich experience for those accustomed to it, but it may look a bit intimidating to younger generations and beginners.
In that sense, increasing accessible entry points—such as canned wine, half bottles, and styles enjoyed in small volumes—is important. Increasing entry points to naturally approach wine without destroying its traditions. Such thinking will likely lead to the future expansion of wine."
What Ms. Aizawa envisions is combining wine with casual elements.
Aizawa: "Wine already has its brand value firmly established as a prestigious beverage. Therefore, an approach of deliberately casualizing it might also be worth considering.
Precisely because it has prestige, while preserving that appeal, it is important to increase touchpoints where first-timers can comfortably approach it. To younger generations, wine can appear as 'something to drink on special occasions in formal settings.'
Of course, that is one of wine's charms, but there could also be lighter ways to enjoy it in everyday life.
For example, half bottles, canned wine, styles enjoyed in small volumes, or packaging and drinking scenes that look picture-perfect in hand. Proposals where the act of drinking itself leaves an impression—like drinking beer with a lime inserted into the bottle—could also serve as inspiration. By designing not just the flavor, but the act and scenes of drinking, the initial distance to wine will shrink significantly."
We asked Ms. Aizawa what approach she would take if she were to collaborate with a wine brand with established luxury value.
Aizawa: "Several ideas come to mind. For example, collaborating with fashion brands or music events to stage situations where wine in cans or easy-to-drink sized bottles can be casually enjoyed while standing.
Combining wall art with wine would also be intriguing. Deliberately avoiding the scene of sitting in a chair to drink. On top of that, combining talk sessions between winemakers and designers, I would like to propose a new everyday experience with wine."
Along with new experiences through wine, Ms. Aizawa also considers communicating wine's story to be important.
Aizawa: "Approaches that tell the story of wine are also necessary. For example, producing a documentary drama on a video streaming service would be fascinating.
Rather than focusing solely on how wine is made, weaving together diverse, complex elements while taking that into account—how to enjoy and play with wine, connections to regions, fashion—to craft a narrative that wine is a drink of freedom and a natural agricultural crop would be very interesting.
For instance, I see the potential for gourmet travel shows to convey culture through wine."
Wine serves, in a positive sense, as an accompaniment that enhances food, travel, and conversation, expanding the culture of "a new everyday life with wine."
And communicating the storytelling encompassed by wine from perspectives other than specs or techniques.
Gradually updating preconceptions around "what wine ought to be" appears to hold the key to capturing new audiences.
To Expand Japanese Wine
Within the wine category in Japan, Japanese wine is the segment experiencing growth.
Quality is also improving year by year, and it is no longer rare to find producers crafting wines that rival the best in the world.
We asked Ms. Aizawa for hints on promoting not just the wine industry as a whole, but specifically Japanese wine.
Aizawa: "First of all, no matter where you visit in Japan, there is tourism, food, and history. I think there aren't many countries like that. That is precisely why Japanese wine shouldn't simply follow overseas trends; it should compete on its own terms as 'Japanese wine.'
In terms of improving quality, I can understand the direction of aiming for a French Chardonnay or an American Chardonnay. However, from the perspective of enhancing the added value of Japanese wine, aren't other viewpoints necessary as well? For example, having suitable grape varieties firmly tied to their regions—like Nagano Merlot—or Koshu, which is a great example of being linked to its origin and expressing Japanese character.
The same goes for Muscat Bailey A. For instance, if sake were produced in a country other than Japan and served as Japanese sake, how would we Japanese feel about it, even if the quality were virtually indistinguishable?
Some might perceive it as something separate from its authentic context. Overseas wine and Japanese wine belong to different categories altogether, and I believe it is difficult to convey the unique value of Japanese wine if it is merely compared along the exact same evaluation criteria as famous overseas wine regions."
Just like Grüner Veltliner in Austria or Vinho Verde in Portugal, even within the same world of wine, value cannot truly be established unless it centers on varieties and wines distinctive to that country.
Furthermore, Ms. Aizawa suggested ways to promote Japanese wine from the perspective of "jizake" (local alcoholic beverage).
Aizawa: "Stories like the pairing of Chablis and oysters are famous, but I feel that for Japanese wine too, we need to communicate the affinity between 'wine and food born from the same land' even more than we do now.
This is just a personal suggestion, but it might be fascinating to offer a pairing course that pairs Japanese alcoholic beverages from the perspective of 'jizake.'
Instead of just a single bottle of wine for a full-course meal or glasses of wine paired with each course, offering various local drinks matched to the dishes served—such as sake, shochu, and Japanese wine—would deepen understanding. We also need a mindset that breaks away from fixed ideas like pairings consisting exclusively of wine, or in other words, completing a pairing with only one type of alcohol."
Wine pairs well with main courses, so diners could enjoy wine matched to the main course while incorporating beer, sake, shochu, and other drinks throughout the meal.
I think it is also crucial to have younger demographics experience this kind of marriage (pairing).
Incorporating Japanese wine as part of a multi-beverage pairing course is a unique concept.
Ms. Aizawa also offered another engaging proposal characteristic of her approach.
Aizawa: "For example, inbound travelers will always stay at some form of lodging, so approaches like offering a complimentary glass of Japanese wine or creating an original wine there would be effective.
A project that I thought could spark an interesting chemical reaction would be having accessible accommodations like business hotels serve a refreshing sparkling wine made from Koshu at their breakfast buffets.
Not only inbound tourists but also Japanese guests would want to try it, creating a blend of 'luxury × casual' between the high-end image of wine and a casual hotel. If we were to cross it with fashion, a collaboration between Japanese wine and brands close to everyday life, such as fast-fashion labels, would likely generate buzz as well."
Ms. Aizawa notes that combining "luxury × luxury" is no longer perceived as "interesting."
Just as prestige Champagne symbolizing wealth is prepared at high-end imported car events, this combination can sometimes lack freshness because of its familiar predictability.
Aizawa: "Serving high-end Champagne at a closing event for imported cars is a familiar sight.
However, wouldn't it be immensely fascinating if the beverage served there were a brand tied to lifestyle or event scenes, like an energy drink? In this way, I believe wine needs an unexpected contrast."
Precisely because wine has an established status, brand value can be created through unexpected contrast.
This seems to be a proposal that the wine industry as a whole should seriously consider.
Conclusion
As discussed in the interview, at a time when global wine consumption continues to decline, acquiring new "drinkers" is an urgent priority.
In particular, younger demographics are said to be turning away from wine, giving up on even picking up a bottle due to various reasons such as "expensive, authoritarian, difficult to understand, high alcohol content, a drink for older people, and feeling pressured by wine bottles."
We should recognize that the time has come to shift away from traditional ways of communicating wine to communicating it from fresh perspectives.
Creating opportunities for demographics with limited drinking experience to engage earnestly with wine—such as the "Project-Based Learning Exercise" in the Department of Engineering Design, Faculty of Engineering Design at Shibaura Institute of Technology—will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the future of wine.
Can wine itself adapt to current and future stages?
We hope our readers will also take this opportunity to think about new ways of communicating wine.
References
Shika Aizawa
Representative Director, REX BRAND Co., Ltd.
Luxury Expert® / Brand Strategist, Representative Director, Japan Luxury Academy
Began career in marketing at semiconductor manufacturing equipment maker DISCO Corporation as a new graduate.
Subsequently held positions as marketing director and brand manager on the front lines of European luxury brands, including Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, luxury cruisers, and Italian furniture. Involved in crafting brand worldviews, designing customer experiences, and bridging sales front lines with marketing.
Currently provides brand-building support, training, and lectures for corporations, regions, tourism, and service businesses. Through history, philosophy, space, words, and customer experiences, she refines qualities into "appeals that resonate" and supports the creation of one-of-a-kind brands.
Her mission is to uncover the intrinsic value already present in a land, company, or person, and cultivate it into an "exceptional presence."
REX BRAND Co., Ltd.
https://www.rex-brand.com/