But for some regions in Europe it means traditions older than the Roman empire, related to wine growing, can disappear. On steep sunny rocky slopes where little else will grow well, and it’s often really deeply embedded in almost everything in such a region: restaurants, tourism, landscape… 80% inhabitants are somehow linked to the winery. Then it’s not anonymous capitalist sounding “industry” but just some guy in a small village whose father’s father’s father … once started an Inn with winegrowing on the side and when all 4 of such businesses in a village go bankrupt the entire village can become an abandoned wasteland in just a few years.
I agree there are few advantages to alcohol.
But for some regions in Europe it means traditions older than the Roman empire, related to wine growing, can disappear. On steep sunny rocky slopes where little else will grow well, and it’s often really deeply embedded in almost everything in such a region: restaurants, tourism, landscape… 80% inhabitants are somehow linked to the winery. Then it’s not anonymous capitalist sounding “industry” but just some guy in a small village whose father’s father’s father … once started an Inn with winegrowing on the side and when all 4 of such businesses in a village go bankrupt the entire village can become an abandoned wasteland in just a few years.