With the economy still struggling along, you would think it would have a negative effect on wine consumption, but it doesn’t seem so.  According to the Beverage Information Group’s recently released 2009 Wine Handbook, wine consumption in the U.S. rose 0.9 percent in 2008 to 294.7 million 9-liter cases.  Although the growth rate of the wine industry has slowed, statistics show that 2009 is the 15th consecutive year of increase in U.S. wine consumption.

What is taking a hit in this economic downturn is imports.  Consumption of imported wines dropped 1.8% while consumption of domestic wines rose 1.9%.  Wine lovers are showing that they are more willing to be frugal by trading down at price when selecting their favorite wines, but they have not been willing to pull out of the wine market altogether.  The health benefits associated with the moderate consumption of wine, such as the decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke are also noted as a key factor in the popularity and the increase in U.S. consumption of wine.

The 2009 Wine Handbook is the leading source of wine trends and consumption.  The handbook also includes information on suppliers, advertising, consumer drinking preferences and much more.  But since domestic wines are on the rise, it’s a good time to look at the expanding options out of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino through The Wine Lover’s Guide to Wine Country.

Cheers!