Barefoot, by Californian giant E&J Gallo Winery, is the best-selling wine brand in the world

Only time will be able to tell us exactly how much the impact of Covid-19 will affect wine sales and consumption, but it is still true that some negative signals, from its two world reference markets - USA and UK - had already arrived long before the pandemic. In the United States, for the first time since 1994, consumption, in terms of volumes, closed down in 2019, and if it is true that the macro trend is to drink less, but better, it is equally true that among Millennials there are still few wine lovers, so much so that, on a demographic level, regular wine drinkers have gone from 29 million in 2015 to 21.5 million in 2019. In the meantime, Great Britain is not moving too differently, always with a view to quality consumption, but it will have to reckon with the effects of Brexit and taxes on European imports in the coming months. While, on the US front, there is a need to defuse the threat of duties, which will be debated until July 26, pending the official decision of the Trump government in mid-August. And yet, in this complex context, there are international wine brands capable of making impressive numbers. No Italians: as the analysis of The Drinks Business reveals, it is the giants of California, Chile, Australia and, increasingly steadily, China that dominate.
At number 1 among the best-selling wine brands in 2019, we find Barefoot, from Californian E&J Gallo Winery, with 270 million bottles, in line with the previous year. Completing the podium are Gallo, again from E&J Gallo Winery, in second place with 180 million bottles sold, and the Australian Yellow Tail, from giant Casella Wines, with 138 million bottles. At position no. 4, the Chinese brand Changyu, by Changyu Pioneer Wine, with 128.4 million bottles (-14.4% on 2018), at no. 5 the Californian Robert Mondavi, by Constellation Brands, at 126 million bottles (+1.94%), at position no. 6, again from California, Sutter Home, by Trinchero Family Estates, with 122.4 million bottles. And again, at position no. 7 Hardys, by Australian Accolade Wines, with 106.8 million bottles, followed at no. 8 by Great Wall of the Chinese group China Foods Limited. At No. 9, Casillero del Diablo, a popular label by Chilean Concha y Toro, with 69.6 million bottles, up 11.5%, and at No. 10, finally, Echo Falls, by Accolade Wines, with 44.4 million bottles sold, down 16.2% on the previous year.