US retail wine sale appear to be heading for a strong finish to 2011 with off-trade sales of domestic wine in November six percent higher than the same four week period last year according to a report by Wines & Vines.
“Wines at $20-plus continued to lead all other price segments in rate of growth, with a sizzling 22% gain in dollars over the four week reporting period. It’s not just a sudden surge. Over 52 weeks, the growth rate of $20-and-up wines was just barely lower at 21%, showing how sustained this trend is,” Wines & Vines reported.
“The highest priced wines were not alone, however. The much bigger segment of wines at $8-$10.99 grew at nearly 12% during the four weeks through Nov. 28. All other price categories of domestic table wines grew, too, except those at less than $3.50 per bottle. High-priced box wines, at the equivalent of $3.50 to $4.99 per 750ml, soared at 25% more dollars than in November 2009.”
Pinot Noir sold well with a 11% increase, Riesling at eight percent and Cabernet Sauvignon at seven percent. Chardonnay, with the biggest dollar share of the US table wine market, only grew two percent. Sales of Shiraz went in the opposite direction and were down nine percent against the same period in 2009.