Russ Winton: Wine buys on the increase
According to the Wine Institute, 2014 saw wine shipments in the U.S. increase in volume (4.4 percent to 225 million cases) and value (6.7 percent to $24.6 million). This represents 22 consecutive years of growth for all wine sales in the United States. Since 2010, we have become the largest wine market in the world. Jon Fredrikson, of Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates, reported that 75 percent of sales were value-priced wines (under $10). Premium wine (above $10) sales are just 25 percent but account for almost 50 percent of winery revenues.
The No. 1 wine by volume is chardonnay with a 19 percent share, according to a recent Nielsen survey. Cabernet sauvignon follows (13 percent), red blends/sweet reds (10 percent), pinot grigio (9 percent), merlot (8 percent), pinot noir (5 percent), white zinfandel (5 percent) and sauvignon blanc (4 percent). The rise of red blends to third place is amazing when you consider a few years ago they didn’t even make the list.
What gives? The answer is residual sugar. People say they like a dry wine, but most favor a bit of sweetness. By blending different varieties, tannins are softened and a more approachable, easy-to-drink wine is produced. Consumers seem to like that.
A red blend tasting
I picked up four red blends at the Grocery Outlet, all in the $4 to $6 range. Two were from Washington and two from California. I invited some experienced WDFs (wine drinking friends) and we tasted the wines blind. The hands-down winner was the 2010 Mercer Columbia Valley Sharp Sisters Red Blend. It is 50 percent merlot, 34 percent syrah, 10 percent cabernet and 6 percent petit verdot. At $5, this blend is one I will revisit again and again.
Rosé Rendezvous
If you are a rosé lover, you should attend the Rosé Rendezvous at the SIMI Winery in Healdsburg. The event, Aug. 1, from 2-5 p.m., is celebrating the gold medal winners from the Rosé Competition held at SIMI Winery in April. Guests can enjoy more than 25 gold medal-winning rosés, meet the winemakers, nibble on delicious noshes and listen to live music, all on the glorious SIMI Winery patio. Tickets are just $35 at Brown Paper Tickets. Yes, real men drink PINK. See you there.
Bonus wine tip from a Modesto reader: McManis Cabernet Sauvignon at Costco for only $7.99, definitely case-worthy!
This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Russ Winton: Wine buys on the increase."