So how do you turn this shift in the signalling of wine status to your advantage? Ana Andjelic suggests modern brands (and I'd add wine brands) can thrive in the aspiration economy by aligning with Andjelic's “Four C’s”:

• Content: This means sharing stories, tutorials, and insights that educate consumers about your wine, its culture, and its

The problem (and paradox) is that wine's original sin is that you can never get rid of wine snobbery. Or at the very least, you can never rid wine drinking of its unique ability to signal messages about status. Which is the same thing. From Barefoot Merlot to Petrus, the wine we drink says something about us. Even if we don’t want it to.