BY MELISSA DOWLING
Sparkling wine sales are up overall , but preferences vary by style
onsumers still love the bubbly . Champagne and sparkling wine volume consumption rose about 4 % in 2019 , according to the Beverage Information and Insights Group , reaching 24.9 million nine-liter cases . That marks the category ’ s 18th consecutive year of growth since 2002 . The increase was driven by the imported segment , which was up nearly 8 %, while domestic sparkling wines fell slightly . Just two brands in the top-10 domestic sparklers posted growth in consumption , # 9 , Wycliff , with a 16.8 % increase in 2019 , and # 4 , Barefoot Bubbly , up 4.3 %, both from E . & J . Gallo Winery .
Meanwhile , just two brands in the top-10 imported sparklers posted declines : Cupcake Sparkling , down 3.2 %, and Martini & Rossi Asti , which fell 2.4 %. The four prosecco brands in the top-10 imports — La Marca , Mionetto , Ruffino and Zonin — all enjoyed double-digit growth in 2019 , while cava brand Freixenet was flat with 2018 .
While prosecco ’ s phenomenal growth has slowed , the Italian sparkler ’ s volume increased 16.5 % in the U . S . last year , according to IWSR data . Cava , the Spanish sparkling wine produced in the same method as Champagne , slid 6.9 % in 2019 , while Champagne volume was up 3.0 %, a nod to the continuing trend of consumers trading up and seeking premium brands and beverages .
The coronavirus pandemic may put a pause on that , however . COVID-19 has left more people unemployed , uncertain about the future and perhaps less inclined to spend . Impending additional tariffs on European wines that would include sparklers could also put a crimp in sales .
But sparkling sales have benefitted from a number of trends , including the proliferation of lower-cost and different styles , fun packaging and consumer interest in aperitivo culture and spritz drinks .
FRANCE BEYOND CHAMPERS French producers outside of the Champagne region make plenty of excellent sparkling wine called crémants . These include Crémant de Bourgogne , Alsace , Loire and Limoux , among others , and are made with the same technique as Champagne but generally use regional grape varietals .
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