As the wine industry reels following a string of economic setbacks, it has been hoping for a rebound. Conversations swirl around whether the sales decline is slowing or if a portfolio realignment to focus on premium wines could reposition the brand for success among consumers who are drinking less. Cure-alls for capturing the Gen Z and Millennial consumer abound, along with Instagrammable images of happy young women in hats. Technological innovation thrives, bringing solutions and automating processes from weeding to bottling and streamlining online direct-to-consumer sales. Almost all the worries are real, and experimentation is essential. But, in the end, wine is a nuts and bolts business. Winery owners tally up the costs and the sales revenue at the end of the harvest season and set about readjusting as necessary. Lately, the costs have been outstripping the profits at a greater rate than ever. It’s why we see dead vines and bare earth where vineyards were thriving yesterday a