Fyi.. you'll soon (should be live later today or early tomorrow) be able to find my wine blog at the following URL:
http://www.winefoot.com/
No other updates will be done on this site - please update your browswer links!
Thank you!
-duane
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Spirits, Wine and Beer Continue to Grow, but Industry Boom has Slowed
Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Trading up to higher quality spirits, wine and beer continued to fuel beverage alcohol industry growth in 2007, but the rates of growth slowed compared to previous boom years, and results were mixed among the three main segments of the business. Wine consumption increased 4% while spirits grew 3.2% and beer rose just 1.2%, according to the just-released 2008 Handbook Advance published by The Beverage Information Group, a division of business publisher M2MEDIA360.
The weakening U.S. economy was a major contributor to the slowdown, especially at restaurants and bars so key to the decade-long expansion of spirits and wine.
Still, the distilled spirits business was up (reaching 182.4 million 9-liter cases) for the tenth consecutive year, wine sales grew for the 14th consecutive year (hitting 294.4 million cases) and beer recovered for the second year in a row from a drop in 2005 (marking 2.93 billion cases).
"Inventive marketing and more approachable products have helped increase wine's appeal to a younger segment of the adult population," said Eric Schmidt, manager of information services for The Beverage Information Group. "Spirits still grew, but the effect of the slowing economy on restaurant consumption is apparent. Meanwhile, though beer showed strength this year, it is still losing share to wine and spirits, and the weakness of imports in 2007 could bode poorly for the future."
Wine continued to find favor with new legal-age drinkers, American craft beers continued a run of double-digit growth, and imported spirits showed great strength last year.
High-end products across all categories continued to outperform the business as a whole. For example, in 2006, generally more expensive imported spirits accounted for 39.7% of consumption. By 2007, it hit 40.3%.
Vodka, the single largest spirit category, grew 6.7% in 2007 -- the category now accounts for 28.9% of the spirits business. Rum, the second largest spirit category, also showed power, growing 5.1%. Tequila and Irish whiskey, both substantially smaller in volume than vodka and rum, posted impressive gains of 9.4% and 17.5%, respectively. Losing ground were blended whiskey (down 1.9%), Canadian whisky (down 0.6%), and prepared cocktails (down 5%).
Among table wines, which account for more than 91% of U.S. wine consumption, almost every country exporting to the U.S. showed growth last year, with Italy (up 8.8%) and France (up 6.6%) leading the way. Australia stayed flat last year, perhaps partly due to the slower growth of Yellow Tail, the leading imported wine in the U.S. Imported table wines grew faster last year (+7.6%) versus domestics (+3.1%), though domestic wines still dominate the business, with 66.9% coming from the U.S.
Craft and light beers were the main bright spots among beers; though imports advanced, it was at a much slower pace than previous years. Among premium, popular, malt liquor, ice and flavored malt beverages, only ice beer grew in 2007. Total beer consumption rose 1.2% or 35.7 million cases to 2.93 billion 2.25 gallon cases. Light beers grew 2.5% and now represent 51.1% of the whole beer market.
Dollar sales outpaced volume sales across all segments in 2007, with on-premise sales up 8.3%, and off-premise sales up 5.0%. Total sales for 2007 reached $188.7 billion.
The weakening U.S. economy was a major contributor to the slowdown, especially at restaurants and bars so key to the decade-long expansion of spirits and wine.
Still, the distilled spirits business was up (reaching 182.4 million 9-liter cases) for the tenth consecutive year, wine sales grew for the 14th consecutive year (hitting 294.4 million cases) and beer recovered for the second year in a row from a drop in 2005 (marking 2.93 billion cases).
"Inventive marketing and more approachable products have helped increase wine's appeal to a younger segment of the adult population," said Eric Schmidt, manager of information services for The Beverage Information Group. "Spirits still grew, but the effect of the slowing economy on restaurant consumption is apparent. Meanwhile, though beer showed strength this year, it is still losing share to wine and spirits, and the weakness of imports in 2007 could bode poorly for the future."
Wine continued to find favor with new legal-age drinkers, American craft beers continued a run of double-digit growth, and imported spirits showed great strength last year.
High-end products across all categories continued to outperform the business as a whole. For example, in 2006, generally more expensive imported spirits accounted for 39.7% of consumption. By 2007, it hit 40.3%.
Vodka, the single largest spirit category, grew 6.7% in 2007 -- the category now accounts for 28.9% of the spirits business. Rum, the second largest spirit category, also showed power, growing 5.1%. Tequila and Irish whiskey, both substantially smaller in volume than vodka and rum, posted impressive gains of 9.4% and 17.5%, respectively. Losing ground were blended whiskey (down 1.9%), Canadian whisky (down 0.6%), and prepared cocktails (down 5%).
Among table wines, which account for more than 91% of U.S. wine consumption, almost every country exporting to the U.S. showed growth last year, with Italy (up 8.8%) and France (up 6.6%) leading the way. Australia stayed flat last year, perhaps partly due to the slower growth of Yellow Tail, the leading imported wine in the U.S. Imported table wines grew faster last year (+7.6%) versus domestics (+3.1%), though domestic wines still dominate the business, with 66.9% coming from the U.S.
Craft and light beers were the main bright spots among beers; though imports advanced, it was at a much slower pace than previous years. Among premium, popular, malt liquor, ice and flavored malt beverages, only ice beer grew in 2007. Total beer consumption rose 1.2% or 35.7 million cases to 2.93 billion 2.25 gallon cases. Light beers grew 2.5% and now represent 51.1% of the whole beer market.
Dollar sales outpaced volume sales across all segments in 2007, with on-premise sales up 8.3%, and off-premise sales up 5.0%. Total sales for 2007 reached $188.7 billion.
Monday, February 25, 2008
High alcohol volume not a problem for Washington wines _ yet
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Washington winemakers haven't really had to deal with rising alcohol volumes in their wines, but that doesn't mean they won't have to in the future.
Warm temperatures increase the chances that sugar levels will increase in grapes, thereby increasing the alcohol volume. Rising alcohol volumes already are being seen in some places as growers allow the grapes to hang on the vines longer to achieve a desired effect.
Some critics say vintners should take care to address the issue in California, where wines have been creeping past 14 percent alcohol and even into the 15 percent to 16 percent range.
Washington state hasn't had to address the issue just yet, but may in the future if temperatures continue to warm, said Shayn Bjornholm, education director for the Washington Wine Commission, a promotional state agency funded by fees on member wineries and growers.
Washington wines have seen about a half-percent increase in alcohol volume on average in the past 10 years, he said.
"That's very, very indicative. The whole world has done this - California, France, Spain," Bjornholm said Friday. "It's more about growing practices than temperatures. People are making wine to meet certain qualities, and you need to keep the grape on the vine long enough to do that."
But with Washington's high daytime temperatures come cooler evenings, which balance the effect, he said.
"Of all the wine growing regions, we have the greatest shifts, which allows our grapes to retain their natural acids," Bjornholm said. "It's exceptionally good for balancing the perception of alcohol on the palate."
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Washington winemakers haven't really had to deal with rising alcohol volumes in their wines, but that doesn't mean they won't have to in the future.
Warm temperatures increase the chances that sugar levels will increase in grapes, thereby increasing the alcohol volume. Rising alcohol volumes already are being seen in some places as growers allow the grapes to hang on the vines longer to achieve a desired effect.
Some critics say vintners should take care to address the issue in California, where wines have been creeping past 14 percent alcohol and even into the 15 percent to 16 percent range.
Washington state hasn't had to address the issue just yet, but may in the future if temperatures continue to warm, said Shayn Bjornholm, education director for the Washington Wine Commission, a promotional state agency funded by fees on member wineries and growers.
Washington wines have seen about a half-percent increase in alcohol volume on average in the past 10 years, he said.
"That's very, very indicative. The whole world has done this - California, France, Spain," Bjornholm said Friday. "It's more about growing practices than temperatures. People are making wine to meet certain qualities, and you need to keep the grape on the vine long enough to do that."
But with Washington's high daytime temperatures come cooler evenings, which balance the effect, he said.
"Of all the wine growing regions, we have the greatest shifts, which allows our grapes to retain their natural acids," Bjornholm said. "It's exceptionally good for balancing the perception of alcohol on the palate."
The Best Wine Rating Scale Ever!
LOL - I love this one and think you'll find the humor in it as well. Even though it's very tongue-in-cheek, the message is still true! Can you name one 97point+ Wine that's available for sale at realistic prices?
Wine X's New 1,000.00 Point Scale In an effort to conform to wine industry expectations and garner support from an industry that's content on only reaching a sliver of the adult population, Wine X introduces its new 1,000.00 point scale. Written with the trade in mind in winegeek language that even they won't understand (but embrace because it's a "point" system), it's the perfect vehicle to help wineries unload their product on distributors. After that, who cares, right? As long as it's out of the winery it's sold!
1,000.00 Scale
- 999.99 - 1,000.00 = You can't find or afford it
- 988.99 - 999.98 = You may be able to find it, but you still can't afford it
- 977.99 - 988.98 = You must be on their waiting list to be on their mailing list
- 966.99 - 977.98 = Even if you're on their mailing list you can only buy one bottle
- 955.99 - 966.98 = If you brown nose the winemaker you might be able to get two bottles
- 944.99 - 955.98 = Production was more than 100 cases but less than 105933.99 - 944.98 = Winemaker is cute
- 922.99 - 933.98 = So is their spouse
- 911.99 - 922.98 = The highest we'll score wines with no oak
- 900.99 - 911.98 = The lowest we'll score wines with too much oak
- 899.99 - 900.98 = Pure crap
Wine X's New 1,000.00 Point Scale In an effort to conform to wine industry expectations and garner support from an industry that's content on only reaching a sliver of the adult population, Wine X introduces its new 1,000.00 point scale. Written with the trade in mind in winegeek language that even they won't understand (but embrace because it's a "point" system), it's the perfect vehicle to help wineries unload their product on distributors. After that, who cares, right? As long as it's out of the winery it's sold!
1,000.00 Scale
- 999.99 - 1,000.00 = You can't find or afford it
- 988.99 - 999.98 = You may be able to find it, but you still can't afford it
- 977.99 - 988.98 = You must be on their waiting list to be on their mailing list
- 966.99 - 977.98 = Even if you're on their mailing list you can only buy one bottle
- 955.99 - 966.98 = If you brown nose the winemaker you might be able to get two bottles
- 944.99 - 955.98 = Production was more than 100 cases but less than 105933.99 - 944.98 = Winemaker is cute
- 922.99 - 933.98 = So is their spouse
- 911.99 - 922.98 = The highest we'll score wines with no oak
- 900.99 - 911.98 = The lowest we'll score wines with too much oak
- 899.99 - 900.98 = Pure crap
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2004/03/had_enough_of_the_100_point_ra.html
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Why Wine Ratings Suck….
I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about how enamored the wine industry is with the 100-point rating system developed by the esteemed Robert Parker. It’s so set into stone that it’s become the universal system of rating wine; however, it has some grossly flawed issues with it that all too many folks seem to overlook:
- Wine is too subjective to ever have a rating attached to it:
Think about it - do you or I have Robert Parker’s palette? Nope. What if the winemaker’s decisions were to bring about a more vegetal aroma from the wine (as seen in many of the “old-world” producers) - does that make him wrong? What if the person doing the judging is biased against oak? Too many variables here to take into account through a numerical system.
So why is the wine industry so beholden to him and others like him? The real answer is because they know scores help move huge volumes of wine for them, that’s why.
- Ratings rarely ever take into account the price:
Why should a wine that costs $60 bucks get a rating of say 92 when there are wines less than half that price which can get the same score? What does that mean? And why would anyone buy a 92point wine at $60 dollars when they can get the same “quality” for less? Doesn’t make sense to me. A more exaggerated example is - would a $300 dollar 95point wine be 10-times better than a $30 dollar 93point wine? Hardly.
- Ratings don’t take into account the varietal of grape:
Think about it - how can you begin to adequately compare a 92-point Cabernet Sauvignon to a 92-point Viogner? Impossible. Ever seen a 100-point Sauvignon Blanc? Nope.
Please help me take back the Wine Industry from the "Snob Mafia" have have hijacked it into nothing more than bogus ratings and treating those whom disagree with them like crap. EMBRACE YOUR OWN PALETTE! If you like a wine, drink it up! If you don't, move on to a different one - your palette will never lie to you!
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