THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 19, 1995 TAG: 9503160032
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Jim Raper
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
AMERICA'S LOVE affair with chardonnay is far from over, according to a market-research company that collects data from supermarket price scanners.
Chardonnay is the perennial varietal wine sales leader in this country, and in 1994 it appears to have tightened its grip on the top spot. Sales of this versatile white wine grew by 27 percent last year in supermarkets, reports Information Resources Inc.
The survey showed a 23 percent growth for cabernet sauvignon, which is the king of the reds.
Overall, wine sales in supermarkets grew by 10 percent, the survey says, but other market analysis indicates that total wine sales - including those in liquor stores and specialty shops - have not been growing recently.
So it is important to remember when assessing the Information Resources report that it is based on data collected only from supermarkets with price scanners.
Nevertheless, the trends that can be inferred from the survey are interesting, and they probably are valid indicators of overall buying habits.
Here are some of those trends:
Although chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon are sales leaders, two red varietals, merlot and pinot noir, are gaining rapidly in popularity. In supermarkets last year, merlot sales were up by 46 percent and pinot noir by 47 percent. Both of these reds tend to be fruitier and softer than cabernet sauvignon.
Sales of red wines are growing at a rate much faster than that for white wines. Still, Americans drink more white than red.
Sauvignon blanc and riesling appear to have suffered from the boost in red wine consumption. Sales of both these varietals grew only by 4 percent, despite all of the attention they have received in the wine media as alternatives to chardonnay.
Sales of three other white varietals - gewurztraminer, chenin blanc and French colombard - fell during 1994.
Americans seem to be moving toward bigger containers of wine, but they want those containers to be labeled as varietals (a grape variety such as chardonnay or merlot). For instance, sales of varietals in 3-liter boxes (equal to four regular-sized bottles) and 1.5-liter bottles were up last year. But sales of 1.5 liter bottles of generic (not labeled as varietals) wines fell by 35 percent. And the .375-liter half-bottles that were the fad in 1993 suffered a 17 percent sales loss last year.
Sales of imports, led by a hefty 47 percent increase for Australian wines, grew at a slightly higher pace than did domestics. Eastern European wines were the only segment of the import market to show a significant decline.
Cheap domestic sparkling wines moved no faster in 1994 than they did in 1993, but sales of the more expensive French Champagnes grew by 16 percent, and sales of premium domestic sparklers were up 11 percent. MEMO: The Humble Steward is a biweekly feature of Sunday Flavor. Send
questions or comments to: The Humble Steward, Sunday Flavor, The
Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk,
Va. 23510. If possible, give complete label information when naming
wines, and list the vintage year. Please include your name and phone
number. by CNB