Sparkling Wine’s Growth: By The Numbers

The champagne and sparkling wine category keeps growing.

Overall consumption is up 56% in the past decade, and shows no signs of slowing. Last year the segment grew 5.8% in the U.S. to reach more than 23.4 million 9-liter cases, marking 15 consecutive years of growth. It follows a similarly successful 2016, when the category was up 6.6% to more than 22.1 million 9-liter cases.

Overall the category claimed a 6.8% share of all U.S. wine consumption in 2017. That’s much bigger than it sounds, since it’s the second highest share after table wine’s 90.5% portion of the market.

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Looking more closely: 2017 sales of domestic sparkling wine grew 3.7% to nearly 12.4 million cases. Imported wines in the category were up 8.4% to more than 10.2 million cases. Leading import La Marca prosecco was up an astonishing 24.9% to 1.3 million cases last year, following a 24.2% growth the year prior. Popular Italian import Mionetto grew 13.1% to almost 700,000 cases, and has averaged 12% annual growth since 2012.

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While champagne and sparkling wine sales continue to spike at the holidays, the style has found a following among drinkers year-round. Consumers have shown a willingness to buy premium-priced bottles, while lower-priced options like prosecco have brought new consumers into the category.

New packaging offerings like cans and minis have made sparklers more viable as an every-day drink. Sparkling wines are food-friendly at restaurants, bars and at home. Overall the category should see a period of steady and uninterrupted growth going forward, thanks to increased buying options and favorable shifts in consumer attitudes and preferences.

Paul Soja is a marketing associate for the Beverage Information and Insights Group. To access additional data and analysis around the beverage alcohol industry, visit BevInfoStore.com. Read his recent piece How the Craft Boom Has Impacted Alcohol Industry Sales.

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