If there’s one thing that changes as you age, it’s your relationship with wine. In your early 20s, wine is more of a means to an end—a vehicle for fun, poor decisions, and questionable dance moves. By your 30s, it becomes a trusted companion, a drink you actually appreciate rather than just endure.
I’ve been through both phases, and let me tell you—the difference is staggering. Let’s take a look at the wines we used to drink in our carefree, reckless youth vs. the carefully selected, totally refined choices we make in our 30s.
🌀 In Your 20s
Shopping for wine was an exercise in speed and survival. The selection criteria? Price and alcohol percentage. You’d scan the bottom shelf, looking for the biggest discount, sometimes picking a bottle purely because the label was cute.
You never asked “Will I like this?”—it was more “Will this get the job done?” If it was cheap and alcoholic, that was enough.
🧐 In Your 30s
Now, you actually think before picking a bottle of wine. You browse regions, grape varieties, and tasting notes. You nod knowingly at terms like cool climate acidity even if you only half understand what it means.
You tell yourself you’re choosing based on taste, but really, you’re choosing based on how much regret you want to avoid the next morning.
Red Wine: From House Party Horror to Bordeaux Bliss
🍷 In Your 20s
Your first sip of red wine was probably at a house party, and it almost certainly tasted like liquid disappointment. You grimaced through every mouthful, convinced that liking red wine was an adult thing to do.
If you drank red, it was whatever was on offer, often warm, overly sweet, or just plain bitter. It was not enjoyable—but you pretended it was.
🍷 In Your 30s
Now, red wine isn’t just ‘red wine.’ You have actual preferences. You know that a juicy Malbec is different from a structured Bordeaux, and you actually enjoy a glass of aged Rioja instead of just tolerating it.
You’ve even said, “This needs to breathe for a bit,” before drinking. Who are you?
White Wine: From Sugary Chaos to Crisp Elegance
🍾 In Your 20s
White wine had one job—to be easy to drink and cheap enough to buy in bulk. You likely went through a Pinot Grigio phase, convinced it was the best wine ever, until you realised it tasted like flavoured water.
Or maybe you clung to Chardonnay, only to find yourself traumatised by an aggressively oaked disaster.
🥂 In Your 30s
Now, white wine is something you actually enjoy. You know Riesling isn’t always sweet, Viognier is a game-changer, and that a good Albariño pairs perfectly with seafood.
You might still drink Sauvignon Blanc, but now it’s a specific one from Sancerre because you’re no longer basic.
Rosé: The Pink Juice Phase You’d Rather Forget
💖 In Your 20s
Rosé was neon pink, sickly sweet, and probably came in a plastic bottle from the corner shop. It tasted like strawberry squash with a splash of regret.
It was fun, it was drinkable, but it wasn’t good.
🍇 In Your 30s
Now, if your rosé isn’t pale, dry, and from Provence, you side-eye it. You sip it year-round, knowing rosé isn’t just a summer drink.
If someone offers you frosé, you politely decline because you have standards now.
Sparkling Wine: Why Prosecco No Longer Hits the Same
🍾 In Your 20s
If it was cheap and fizzy, you drank it. Prosecco was your best friend, and you never questioned whether it was actually good—it was just bubbly and fun.
You also drank Lambrini, but let’s not talk about that.
🍾 In Your 30s
Now, sparkling wine isn’t just about bubbles—it’s about quality. You’ve graduated from cheap Prosecco to Crémant, English Sparkling, and Champagne.
You know the difference between traditional method fizz and tank method Prosecco, and you care. You even own proper Champagne flutes—because bubbly deserves respect.
Hangovers: The Bitter Reality
🤦♂️ In Your 20s
You could drink two bottles of £4 wine, sleep for four hours, and wake up feeling slightly dehydrated but otherwise fine. You’d bounce back with a bacon sandwich and coffee.
🛑 In Your 30s
One glass too many and you’re out of commission for 48 hours. You now understand that cheap wine is a punishment, and you’ve actually started checking sulphite levels to avoid the worst of it.
You also now drink water between glasses, because self-care is important.
The Glow-Up Is Real
Looking back, the wines of our 20s were tragic, but they served their purpose. They were there for celebrations, heartbreaks, bad decisions, and some of the best nights of our lives.
Now, in our 30s, we drink wine because we actually love it. We appreciate quality, balance, and flavour. We spend time choosing the right bottle for the right occasion.
But every so often, on a nostalgic whim, we crack open an old favourite from our reckless youth—just to see if it’s as bad as we remember. (It is.)
