Grand Tour Offers Discounted Tickets for Younger Wine Drinkers

Wine Spectator is rolling out a new effort to provide younger wine drinkers a chance to taste the best of wine. For this year’s Grand Tour, a “Young Connoisseurs” ticket will be available for attendees ages 21 to 30, offering access to the large walk-around wine tastings at the discounted price of $100.

The discounted ticket reflects the growing importance of young wine drinkers to the industry as well as Wine Spectator’s broader goal of welcoming an emerging generation of wine drinkers. The 21–30 age group has become increasingly important—a Wine Market Council survey from late last year showed that Gen Z participation now makes up 14% of the U.S. wine market, up from 9% three years ago.

Wine Spectator executive editor Jeffery Lindenmuth highlighted the opportunity the initiative offers to newer wine drinkers. “Events like Grand Tour represent Wine Spectator magazine brought to life—an opportunity to taste highly rated wines and meet the people behind the wine,” he explained. “Wine Spectator is committed to welcoming future wine drinkers to the table and Young Connoisseur pricing is one way we are opening the door.”

The Grand Tour is Wine Spectator’s annual tour of wine tastings through three U.S. cities, where attendees can sample over 200 wines from around the world, all scoring 90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale. This year the host cities will be Denver (April 18), San Diego (April 25) and Tampa (May 1).

A New Generation of Drinkers and Producers

Participating wineries, many of which have millennials or even Gen Zers in leadership positions themselves, have also noted the importance of reaching young wine drinkers.

“As a family business, we think in generations,” Chris Jackson of Jackson Family Wines told Wine Spectator. “It is exciting to see younger consumers bringing new perspectives and enthusiasm to wine. Supporting their discovery today helps build a vibrant future for our industry tomorrow, and experiences like the Grand Tour provide a gateway for younger wine drinkers.”

The Wine Market Council survey highlighted wine’s influence on the experience outside of the glass, finding that more than 40% of younger consumers view wine as a way to make occasions feel more special.

“In a hyper-online world where some younger people feel a little disconnected in the real world, we’re finding younger adults are looking to wine for the social experiences it offers,” said Arabella Waghorn of Marlborough's Astrolabe Wines. “Young people are really interested and enthusiastic about finding and sharing new wines with friends in a way that isn’t necessarily superformal—just discovering the pleasure of socializing over a glass of wine as humans have been doing for centuries.”

The Grand Tour brings more than 200 of the world’s top wineries to three cities across the U.S. each year. (Jimmy A. Vitullo)

Inside the 2026 Grand Tour

The Grand Tour this year will take place at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Denver, San Diego’s Gaylord Convention Center and the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. Each event features a walk-around tasting, allowing guests to explore a wide range of styles while meeting winemakers and winery representatives from around the world.

For many attendees, it’s a rare chance to taste benchmark wines side by side, including bottlings that can be difficult to come across. The lineup spans the globe with producers from Champagne, Rioja, New Zealand, Tuscany, Chile, Napa Valley and beyond.

For younger wine drinkers still discovering their preferences, exposure to the comprehensive set of wines can be valuable. “If you are new to wine, the best thing you can do to find your favorite style is attend a tasting like the Grand Tour where all of the wines have been chosen by experts,” said Waghorn. “You can try classic wines from around the world with the confidence that they are all great examples.” An added benefit is that wines are arranged by grape variety and region, allowing wine lovers to try various examples of similar wines side-by-side.

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