The Auswine Forum

Although the now (in)famous line from the movie Sideways would suggest that Merlot drinkers are pretty close to excrement on the sole of your shoe, thatÂ’s not what the consumer numbers say. According to the Wine Institute, a California wine industry organization based in San Francisco merlot is the top red nation wide in the USA, with 26.7 million cases sold in 2003. Chardonnay remains the leader among white wines with some 52.5 million cases, while white zinfandel is the big mover in the blush wine category, with some 21.2 million cases sold in 2003.

These numbers, (from a report by Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune food and wine reporter published January 26, 2005) note that The top three varietals in the Chicago market, according to ACNielsen, a leading provider of consumer and marketplace information, are, in descending order of sales in 2004: chardonnay at $50.7 million; cabernet sauvignon at $33.5 million and merlot just a bit lower at $32.9 million. These figures cover a 52-week period ending Dec. 18, 2004.

Chicagoans purchased $300 million worth of wine at supermarkets, liquor stores and drugstores in 2004, according to ACNielsen. More domestic table wines were sold than imported ($155 million domestic versus $57 million imported), but imports rose at a rate of 6.5 percent while sales of domestic wines dropped just under 1 percent.

Among imports, Italian wines still "rule" Chicago with $30 million in 2004 sales, ACNielsen reported. Australian wines are coming on strong in second place with $25.8 million in sales, while French wines ranked third at $8 million. Italian sales were flat in 2004, neither up nor down; Australian sales were up 15 percent and French sales down 2.4 percent, according to ACNielsen statistics.

These are significant numbers because Chicago is the third largest market in the USA (8.1 million cases of wine in 2003), behind LA (13.8 million cases) and New York (10.9 million cases). Interesting numbers in themselves, I would have bet New York would have been the big gulper. But I guess the thirst is greater in LALA land.

Mike

Yebbut.... we know why those people are buying s$it loads of MerLot.... they can't pronounce Cabernet Sauvignon!

TORB wrote:Yebbut.... we know why those people are buying s$it loads of MerLot.... they can't pronounce Cabernet Sauvignon!

Strangely enough, the recent increase in Americans being able to pronounce merlot is a recent phenomenon. 10 years ago even most semi-serious US wine drinkers were pretty consistent on sounding the ‘t’ nice and clearly. Maybe they thought there was a lot more of something in the bot , or maybe it was a reference to the bloke married to the pillar of salt . It also was not that long ago when the biggest selling (by volume of course) red wine in the US was “California Red Burgundy” . Makes the French livid , and it’s still selling. Of course, I seem to recall reading somewhere that Oz had a similar popular wine misnomer, but I can’t remember exactly what. Can anyone tell me?

Bob,

We liked pi$$ing the La Frogs off too so we had Oz Burgundy, Claret and Champers.

Thanks Ric.

You notice the 21.2 million cases of white zinfandel sold in the US? Reminds me of the time I visited my sister, and I said I would bring the wine, so asked her what she liked. I was pleased to hear ‘zinfandel’, and of course I brought a nice full-bodied zin ; not as nice as shiraz, but still can be quite enjoyable. But when I opened it and poured, she said, “what’s that?” When I told her it was zinfandel like she asked for, she said, “but it’s the wrong color!” . I’m afraid most of my family falls into the ‘moron market’ to which that blowhard Scruton was referring. Meanwhile, here in Japan, in many restaurants it is interesting to see the waitress’ mouth drop open when you order a ‘whole bottle’ of wine for ‘just’ 2 people .

Bob wrote:Meanwhile, here in Japan, in many restaurants it is interesting to see the waitress’ mouth drop open when you order a ‘whole bottle’ of wine for ‘just’ 2 people .

But they think nothing about two people knocking off a bottle of high priced Scotch in a nighclub.

TORB wrote:

Bob wrote:Meanwhile, here in Japan, in many restaurants it is interesting to see the waitress’ mouth drop open when you order a ‘whole bottle’ of wine for ‘just’ 2 people .

But they think nothing about two people knocking off a bottle of high priced Scotch in a nighclub.

They should be a fly on the wall at some of our offlines.
MM.