Wine in America

It all started in November 1991 when 60 Minutes aired The French Paradox questioning how the French with their diet of rich food and smoking suffered fewer heart attacks, had less obesity and lived 2.5 years longer than Americans.  The answer posited was their consumption of red wine.

After being told for years about all the things that are bad for us such as coffee, butter, eggs, and on and on, Americans suddenly had permission to drink something “bad” that might actually be “good” and we embraced wine with enthusiasm.

Last year we consumed 321 million cases of wine making us the world’s biggest wine-drinking nation.  Even so, one third of the population does not imbibe at all.  In per person consumption, we are 12^th, so no need to feel guilty.  We have a ways to go.  France remains number one.

Wine sales in 2013 totaled $43.9 billion and there are now 8,000 wineries in the U.S.  Every state produces some kind of wine, even Alaska.

Another amazing statistic is that 90% of all wine is sold by just 30 companies and about half of that is sold by the three giants – E. & J. Gallo, Constellation Brands and Wine Group.  It’s tough out there being an independent winery.  As the wags say, the way to make a small fortune in the wine industry is to start with a large one.