In 2016 US consumers continue to reach for wine as an enjoyable beverage, even with craft beer grabbing an increased share of the alcohol beverage market. A review of the 2015 wine statistics and buying trends for 2016 are generally positive. Most experts predict another good year for wine, at its usual 1 to 2% growth rate in the US. Despite fluctuating stock markets, a very competitive alcoholic beverage industry, whispers of recession, and fast-moving social media/apps that can influence trends overnight, in general wine seems to be well positioned for 2016. However it could be a pivotal year for American wine, if the industry doesn’t begin to innovate as fast as the competition. Off-Premise– sales of wine in grocery stores, wine shops, and other off-premise establishments continued to perform well, with double digit value and volume growth in 4 price points: $11 – $14.99, $15 – $19.99, $20-$24.99 and over $25 (Brager, 2016). Despite this, 75% of the wine in the US is still sold at $9 and under.

On Premise – sales of wine in restaurants, bar, and other on-premise establishments continued to remained relatively flat in 2015. can you buy wine online in ctDollar sales were up .1%, but volume was down by -4.1%. best wine on dietVarietals selling well on-premise were Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon (Guest Metrics, 2016).where to buy taken wine Direct to Consumer Shipping (DTC/Ecommerce) – online wine sales and shipping direct to consumer was a bright spot in 2015. glass of wine transparentAccording to ShipCompliant (2016), revenues hit $2 billion, an increase of 8.1% from 2014 with 4.2 million cases shipped. red wine best storage

Thought still only 1 to 1.5% of total wine sales volume in the US, DTC is doing well and expected to increase over the next few years. best light red italian wineAverage bottle price was again $38, and wineries can now ship directly to 43 states (Fredrikson, 2016). US Wine Exports – though not a large wine exporter because the US tends to consume most of its own wine, in 2015 the US exported 51.2 million cases worth $1.61 billion in revenues (Wine Institute, 2016). This was up 7.6% in revenues and 4.1% in volume from 2014. Premiumization Continues– the desire to try a more premium product and pay more for it, or “premiumization” is expected to continue in 2016 for wine and other alcoholic beverages. This is reflected in consumers paying more for wine and the double digit increases in the $11 – 25 price range. This should continue unless something happens in the economy to spook consumers.

Hot Wine Styles: Sparkling & Sangria – though still table wine continues to grow in value and volume, sparkling wine, especially Prosecco, is extremely popular in America and grew at 11.7% in value, while Sangria grew at 9.8%, according to Nielson (Brager, 2016). 5 Most Popular Wine Varietals – surprisingly the slightly tart and refreshing style of Sauvignon Blanc won the prize for most increased value(13.3%) and volume change (10.7%). This was followed by the continuing hot trend of Red Blends, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and then Pinot Grigio (Fredrikson, 2016). However, the highest volume varietal sold in the US continues to be Chardonnay. Most Popular Imports – Americans continue to be in love with wines from Italy and New Zealand. However both France and Portugal made great showings in 2015 with 10.8% and 8% increases in value for wines from both countries (Brager, 2016). Fastest Growing Wine Containers – though the 750 ml glass bottle still dominates the US market at over 50% of the volume of wine sold, the 3 Liter Box and Tetra pack continued to grow in popularity (Fredrikson, 2016)

It is fascinating to discover the many wine producing regions of the world. But although there are more than 60 countries of the world, where wine is produced, only 10 of them account for more than 80% of global wine production. Let’s have a closer look at these major wine countries and their wine production in 2014*: It is undisputed that France has taken an outstanding position in the world of wine. Every year, France and Italy are competing for the top position among the world’s wine producing countries. In 2014 France was in the first place with a production volume of 47 million hectoliters. Major Grapes: Merlot, Grenache While Italy was the biggest wine producer in 2013, in 2014 it was far behind France with a production volume of under 45 million hectoliters. The reason for this decrease is that Italy was hit by wet and cold weather in summer which led to crop shortfalls. Major Grape Varieties: Sangiovese, Trebbiano Although Spain has the largest vineyard area in the world the yields are in general lower than in France and Italy with 37 million hectoliters in 2014.

Spain is a very diverse country which is characterized by many grape varieties and wine styles. Major Grape Varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha While wine production in Europe, the so called “Old World” is decreasing, “New World” wine countries are increasing their production. In 2014 the United States produced 22 million hectoliters. 90% of wine production in the US originates from California. Major Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon In 2014 Argentina suffered from the bad weather during crop season, which leads to a projected decrease in wine production (15 million hectoliters) for that year. As Argentina relies on exports, the high inflation rate is a major challenge for the wine industry. Major Grape Varieties: Malbec, Chardonnay Although Australia’s 2014 vintage was challenging due to difficult weather conditions, the production volume was on previous year’s level (12 million hectoliters). The country is a strong wine exporter and could slightly increase its exports in volume and value.

Major Grape Varieties: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon The global wine scene has a new important player. In recent years, China has shown an unprecedented development and is today the largest grape producer of the world and among the top 10 wine producing countries of the world with a production volume of 12 million hectoliters. South Africa’s production volume (11 million hectoliters) was pretty much the same as in 2013. The record of exports in 2013 which was i.a. assisted by the depreciation of the rand against the major currencies, couldn’t been beaten this year. Major Grape Varieties:, Chenin Blanc, Colombard Wine production in Chile was decimated by frost and has significantly decreased by around 23% to a production volume of 10 million hectoliters. Despite this decrease prices aren’t expected to rise as there are still plenty of leftovers in the tanks. Major Grape Varieties: Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon Wine production in Germany showed a significant increase of 16% with a production volume of almost 10 million hectoliters.