WINE CONSUMPTION CONTINUES TO GROW IN U.S.

Though it may not have been the best year for wine sales around the world, there is one place where the numbers are still looking positive: in the United States wine consumption seems to continue with its growth trend. Various market studies are already predicting that 2009 will be a positive year for U.S. wine consumption, closing out the first decade of 2000 positively and continuing what is now a 16 year trend for wine, growing from 180 million 9 liter containers sold in 1994 to over 303 million this year.

Notwithstanding the crisis, wine consumption increased over the first 9 months of 2009 though at a much more moderate pace, about +0.6% over 2008. This most recent growth is attributed to new consumers who now regularly buy wine but less expensive ones between 3 and 9 dollars per bottle.