Americans Seeing Red... and Lots of It!

Wine Spectator magazine reports that for the third straight year, Americans are expected to drink more red wine than white, thanks to a projected 3 percent increase in red wine consumption in 2008, to 121 million cases, an all-time high.

White wine consumption is also expected to grow this year, but by a slightly slower 2 percent rate to 118 million cases, while rosé and blush wine consumption is projected to decline 3 percent.
The “echo boomer” generation began reaching legal drinking age in the mid-1990s, adding about 60 million potential new wine drinkers, according to the report. By the end of this decade, those consumers will be in their 30s, the prime target for wine marketers.

Most of red wine’s 2008 growth is projected to come from sales of variety-labeled brands, both domestic and imported, particularly Pinot Noir, which is expected to advance 12 percent, to 9 million cases. Cabernet Sauvignon is also projected to perform well, according to Impact Databank (parent company of Wine Spectator).

The recent success of red wines can be attributed to the American consumer’s increasingly sophisticated palate, expanding knowledge of wine and willingness to experiment with a wider variety of wine styles. Drinking red wine has also been linked favorably in numerous medical studies to various health benefits, such as a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

Among white wines, Chardonnay continues to lead the pack, except when it comes to imports, where it was once again surpassed by Pinot Grigio.

Meanwhile, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling imports will continue to surge at double-digit rates in the near term. The lone bright spot for blush wines this year is white Merlot, which is expected to advance by a modest 3 percent, while the much larger white Zinfandel category is projected to decline by 2 percent. Some imported rosés have started to come on strong, but from a very small base.
Source: Wine Spectator

Discover Your Inner Wine Maker!

Or, "Making Wine Without Turning Your Feet Purple."

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to make your own wine? Maybe, but where do you start? Or yes, but don’t have the resources or desire to purchase the necessary equipment. Would love to, but don’t really have the time to devote to the process.

These questions and concerns are typical and can be easily solved by numerous “custom crushes” popping up in cities and towns near you. For myself and my husband Daniel, we found Crush Pad, in San Francisco, which provides grapes from the West Coast’s top vineyards, an industry-acclaimed wine making team and a state-of-the-art winery 100% focused on making wine in small lots.

We were fairly involved in the entire process but many of their clients simply want them to “make the best barrel of cab you can and call me when it’s ready.” Here on the Central Coast a new custom crush facility has opened; Zoller Wine Styling, the first winery located in downtown Paso Robles.

They offer a unique opportunity to anyone interested in creating a custom wine, from growers to businesses and retailers who wish to produce their own label and individual wine enthusiasts. You can even make a barrel of wine with your friends! They can also accommodate those individuals who wish to create a business by producing wines that can be sold at retail.

Even if you don't live in the town in which the crush facility is located facilities like Crush Pad and Zoller have clients from all over the U.S. and the world who are able to participate in the wine making process via interactive, computerized tracking and monitoring systems.

And of course, once your wine is bottled, you can store and ship your wine through Safe Haven Wine Services and use the tasting lounge for all of your special events!
So get busy coming up with a name and designing your label.