Americans like their wine cheap, Technomic says

Megan Rowe

Affordable table wines and sparkling varieties are the exceptions in the maturing winemaking industry, according to research firm Technomic.

The competition is most intense at the $10-20 price point, says Donna Hood Crecca, senior director at the firm. “Consumers today are very engaged with wine, and table wine suppliers are marketing brands aimed at specific groups,” she says. In the $10-$20 range, many brands are going head to head and crowding the market.

“The fastest-growing brands are those with an attractive price-value proposition or a unique point of differentiation that creates a connection with consumers," Crecca observes.

Source: Technomic

Momentum continues in the sparkling segment as well. The category is outpacing the total market as domestic and Italian sparklers realize additional volume gains. Italy now holds the largest share of the imported table wine and imported sparkling wine categories.

“Sparkling wine is on an upward trajectory, and is appealing to consumers in restaurants and bars and for at-home consumption,” says Crecca. “The advent of brands with accessible flavor profiles and price points is opening up the world of sparklers to many consumer groups, who are starting to incorporate it into more everyday occasions.”

This infographic from Technomic provides more details about trends in table wine, sparkling wine and consumer engagement with wine. These findings, included in Technomic’s 2014 WineTAB Report, are part of the Trends in Adult Beverage series, which provides an in-depth look at national volume and sales information on wine categories, brands and suppliers.