Many wine companies are trying to figure out how to appeal to millennials, people from 21 to 35 who seem more attracted to cocktails and craft beer than wine. Most of these companies are adopting hip personas, embracing social media on the Internet and offering low-cost wines recognizing that many young drinkers aren’t making much money. Uproot Wines is after millennial drinkers, too, with eye-catching minimalist wine labels, edgy graphics and a major effort to reach prospective customers via social media. It makes Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc and newly chic grenache and grenache blanc. But the bicoastal company makes up-market wines. Its least expensive wine is a $34 grenache blanc and its Howell Mountain Cabernet costs $78.
“You might say we’re after successful startups,” said Greg Scheinfeld, the company’s Napa-based winemaker and partner.