Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/751263
20 Beverage Dynamics • November/December 2016 U .S. sales of all types of sparkling wine are on fi re. Italy's Prosecco leads the way – up 27 percent by volume for the 52 weeks ending Sept. 10, 2016 – but France's Cham- pagne, Spain's Cava and domestic sparkling wine all show healthy increases, too. Sales of still wine, by contrast, have increased only modestly. Why are bubbles so hot? Danny Brager, senior vice president for beverage alcohol at Nielsen, which tracks retail sales, says that "it's not all about Prosecco," but he gives that Italian wine a lot of credit. "Prosecco defi nitely brought more people into the cat- egory," he says. Brager cites its affordable price – an average of $12 – and trendiness. Even producers of other types of sparkling wines acknowl- edge Prosecco's value to the overall category. Consumers are "getting their feet wet" by trying Prosecco, says Nicole Lock- wood, senior brand manager for Mumm Napa. "I think it's kind of a stepping stone." Bubbly-makers for years have struggled against the idea that sparkling wine is a celebratory beverage to be drunk mostly for New Year's Eve and on occasions like anniversaries and wed- dings. Prosecco appears to be helping on that score, too, turning bubbly into an everyday beverage. Brager notes that sparkling wine sales still spike between Thanksgiving and New Year's, but Prosecco is helping to extend sales to the rest of the year. As a percentage of the overall wine market, sparkling remains small, accounting for just 6 percent by volume, according to the Beverage Information and Insights Group. Brager says that according to Nielsen data, only about one-fi fth of table wine buyers also bought bubbles in the 52 weeks ending June 30, 2016. So there's plenty of room for fur- ther growth, especially among the group of consumers that many companies appear to be targeting: Millennials. Here's a look at how the major sparkling wine categories are currently faring in the marketplace. CHAMPAGNE Champagne is considered by most connoisseurs to be the gold standard of sparkling wine (under existing trade agreements, some California producers still are allowed to call their wines "champagne," but true Champagne comes only from the French www.beveragedynamics.com Bubbles attract more and more wine consumers. BY LAURIE DANIEL Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Sparkle Holiday Sparkle Sparkle Sparkle Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday Holiday