In my opinion a lot of alcohol culture as shown in Rv shows like Sex and the City is about showing off to others and even trying to impress one's self, like when a smoker holds a cigarette in his mouth while his hands are typing. I say this as an ex-smoker and ex-heavy drinker. If it were called 'fermented grape-juice' I doubt wine would hold the same je ne sais quoi.
Certainly smoking has lost the heroic image it used to hold in public opinion. It's seen more as a grubby addiction these days.
I do still enjoy a nice beer or wine sometimes, but it's not as interesting or impressive to me as homemade gnocchi in a nice sauce. I notice that a number cultures with high rates of drunkenness also have a fairly bland national cuisine, eg. England and the Baltic.