The Wine Cooler Revolution
By Middagh Goodwin
Wine Coolers were all the rage in the 80’s and were created right here in the Central Valley. Basically a sangria packaged in a 12 oz bottle. The original was California Cooler founded in 1976 by Lodi High School friends Michael Crete and R. Stuart Bewley and by 1985 when they sold the company was selling 12.5 million cases a year. At its peak, Cal Cooler was the second-largest winery in the world next to Gallo. E&J Gallo Winery came out with their own line Bartles & Jaymes in 1981. By 1987 just a decade from the first bottles sold the wine cooler market would drop 98%. One thing is for sure if you grew up in the 80s regardless if you were at a dance club, a bar or at an orchard party, you drank yourself a wine cooler or two. For those that this is making nostalgic you can still buy coolers in the wild.
