Lots of people know about the wine towns of Napa Valley (Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga), and next door in Sonoma County (Sonoma, and Healdsburg). These burgs tend to be cutesy and pricey. California has other wine towns that aren't so well known, maybe not so cute, and probably not so expensive.
Napa Valley and its small towns sometimes have issues with people overdoing it. Luckily, it seems most folks are aware of the potential to overindulge and hire a driver, have a designated-driver, or keep their winery stops to two per day.
Welcome to 2026. We made it! Following are some of last year's big stories relating to the U.S. alcohol industry.
The best low-cost wines, according to Wine Enthusiast. The wine magazine put together their list of favorite inexpensive wines from the past year, The Top 100 Best Buys. Forty-four were American wines, including the #1 wine, Method 2023 California Cabernet Sauvignon, priced at $20, but often selling for around $15.
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| The #9 wine |
America's largest wine retailers are a couple of warehouse-type stores. Total Wines passed up Costco for the number one spot in 2024. The difference between the two is Total Wines specializes in wine, and it's right there in the name. Costco is a membership "club" that sells everything.
There are fewer people drinking, people drinking less, mostly for health reasons. Consumers have other options like craft beer and hard seltzer. There are other reasons for the decline in sales.
There's plenty of talk as to why wine sales and wine consumption have tanked. U.S. drinking is way down, with a record low percentage of Americans saying they don't drink alcohol. That number appears to still be dropping. Health concerns, especially among the younger folks, is the biggest reason given. There are other reasons.
How healthy/unhealthy is wine? There are mixed signals. It seems that the amount of alcohol consumed and in what circumstances changes the outcome.
More than one study has shown that a glass of wine can reduce stress. This can help if you have a big decision to make that might be financial or career-related. Maybe you just had a tough day and need a reset. But according to the World Health Organization, “No level of alcohol consumption is safe for your health.” I call BS.
Zinfandel was America's grape. There was no Zin in Europe, so the opinion was it's an American original. In the 1990s, that all changed.
This one is aimed at the wine industry.
The anti-booze, neo-prohibitionists, and sober curious people are having their day. That shouldn't be treated as a problem for those in the wine biz, but it is for many, and that's a mistake.
