Series: How meme culture is changing the wine industry
Credit: The Angry Somm
I’ve long been fascinated by memes and the people who make them. What drives them to this medium? Do they have a more significant impact than we might want to believe?
It’s been said memes are rebuilding the political and cultural landscape - it remains one of the last methods of communicating unfettered information.
I reached out to various wine meme accounts on Instagram to further understand the motivation behind their creations.
Certain accounts wish to remain anonymous.
Here is my second conversation with meme account, The Angry Somm.
LM: Give us an insider's look into the day in the life of a meme lord. Do you have any morning rituals that get the creative juices flowing?
AS: Depending on my mood upon waking up, I start off with some French press or pour over coffee. Having an actual task to accomplish first thing in the morning helps get my brain functioning as much as the caffeine. I often have material saved for a meme or something accomplished from the night before that I try to post before 11am. (The Insta algorithm seems to like something about that 9:30am-11am window.) Following that, I try to absorb what I can about society and what’s currently relevant to social media before my brain caves in. And the remainder of my evening is me trying to recuperate all the f**ks I gave throughout the day.
LM: Everyone seems to be talking about making wine accessible, being more inclusive and diverse. Yet, nothing ever seems to really change - maybe only incrementally. Memes seem to bridge that gap, by using humor to call out the injustices of the wine industry. How have you seen the culture change (if at all) since the inception of memes?
AS: If I’m being honest, memes seem to be the most beneficial to those are already exploring an interest in wine. For those in the industry, or those already infatuated by the subject, my memes seem to prompt a few “lols,”emojis, and that feeling of “being heard”. With that said, I have managed to pull a few wine-curious voyeurs into the art genre with charming analogies, and introducing the idea that wine is not simply an expensive drink for the aristocratic. It’s a subject as vast and elaborate as music, or art. I maintain that it is a romance between man and nature. It’s one thing to expose this industry’s cons and misinformation. It’s another thing to use this form of comedy to help people understand the complexities of wine, while getting them to acknowledge that “inclusiveness” is in part the viewers responsibility. Don’t be afraid to go through the trial and error of discovering you palate. As these wine meme accounts grow, I have noticed a slow yet ongoing change in the culture of this industry, but we need to interact with our audience more for this change to resonate.
Credit: The Angry Somm.
LM: Favorite wine meme accounts?
AS: FrankDrinksWine … I’m also a huge fan of the wine shop in OC he works with, The Wine Exchange.
LM: Let's talk haters: how do you deal with them and what's the craziest encounter you've had?
AS: Depending on the response, I sometimes give them the time a day. A recent post had Robert Parker super fans DM’ing me some “who do you think you are” kinds of comments. I was happy to tell them why he was the butt of my joke, and will continue to be, which often left me with the last word. If the argument is loud and idiotic, I won’t give them the pleasure of my acknowledgment. As my platform grows, I find more and more haters reaching out telling me what I can and can’t say, but I also have more supporters standing up for me. Which is nice!
LM: What are your favorite topics to meme about?
AS: I often poke fun at the monstrous oligarchy of distributors and producers for their lack of ethics, but that’s low hanging fruit. I love making analogies to that help recommend alternative wines to people with set palate; for example, the Animorphes meme where Pinot Noir transforms into Blaurfränkisch while giving examples of similar wines in between… those are my pride and joy.
LM: How does one become a meme lord? What's your opinion on anonymous accounts?
AS: I’m not sure there is one particular strategy I could encourage. I found that the wine industry often takes things a bit too seriously, which takes away from the fun and allurement of wine. To break down my approach: Think of your target audience, set a motive, and if you notice a void in humor within a particular genre, there is your opportunity to be a “meme lord.” When it comes to anonymous accounts, it makes sense to want to protect your professional identity when making such bold implications in a time when people cry over “yo mama” jokes. I’ve chosen to show my face when providing less hyperbolic and satirical posts, but that’s why I created an alter-ego. The Angry Somm gives me some distance between me, the meme’edian, and me, the professional sommelier.
LM: What's your actual job?
AS: I work with an importer/ distributor selling to corporate retail chain accounts, as well as perform the role of adjunct educator for our region’s sales team. I’m making an effort to broaden the quality and styles being offered in grocery stores and large wine and spirits retailers. It’s quite the headache, but it is rewarding when you start to notice the average consumer talking about Grüner Veltliner and Mourvèdre in an environment festooned with homogeneous, overpriced Chardonnays and Red Blends.
Credit: The Angry Somm
LM: Where do you see the future of wine memes going?
AS: When a crowd is laughing, people like to join in on the laughter whether or not they fully understand the joke. Memes are visual jokes, often about something relevant in pop culture, where the punchline is up for interpretation. I think that this format for comedy gives the viewer more time to think and relate to a joke, and thus better understand the topic. So long as people stand by their sense of humor and don’t apologize for “triggering” the brittle individuals peppered about the internet, memes have great potential for shining light on any subject. Wine is a complicated subject that genuinely deserves the perspective it contrives from memes, and I see it growing with every new perspective that chimes in. In time, I’d like to see wine memes becoming more mainstream.
LM: Who's more beneficial to the wine industry: Meme lords or influencers?
AS: Meme lords. Influencers that I’ve observed use wine to help endorse themselves. It’s a give and take relationship that doesn’t seem to offer much substance for wine enthusiasts. Meme lords are there merely to provide information and perspective for nothing in return. There are exceptions, in terms of sommeliers who are influencers, but I don’t find posting a vertical of 1960’s Le Tâche and other four-figure wines is at all relatable or useful to the every day wine enthusiast. The most beneficial position to be in would be a balance of the two, something I plan on expanding to in due course.
Follow The Angry Somm here.
