State Comparison for Wine

Statistically, how "winey" is each state?

Who Drinks Organic Wine?

Organic wines have received a lot of media attention. But who is drinking organic wine? The previous blog post defines what organic wine is.

What Is Organic Wine?

Part of the personal health trend means consuming healthy food and drink. For many this means it's organically grown or raised. Organic wines have gotten lots of media buzz, but what exactly is organic wine?

Premium Canned Wine

Wine in cans started with a sweet, fruity, fizzy beverage in a can with a cute, colorful label on the outside. It's growing up and becoming a beverage for adults rather than for college kids at the beach or maybe sneaking them into movie theaters and concerts.

Is Overripe Over?

By overripe, I mean the soft, lush, blockbuster fruity wines of California. By questioning if they are finished as a style, I mean they aren't going away anytime soon, but are they losing popularity. We are seeing a return by some winemakers to what I consider more balanced and structured wines.

Zinfandel on the Rebound?

Premium Zinfandel appears to be bucking the broader trend of declining wine sales. Some white wines are also bucking the trend.

Not All Wine is in the Doldrums

The common opinion is that wine sales are in trouble. While overall sales are definitely down, not all market segments are the same. Here's where you'll find growth.

The Growth of White Wine

White wines are in the midst of a boom cycle as U.S.sales surpassed red wines in 2024. That same year global white wine sales were up 3% while red wines were down 3%. Why is this and what might red wine producers learn?

The Hot Spots for Zinfandel

Where are the best spots to grow Zinfandel? Here's a look at the top growing areas, or American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).

Cool Spots for Pinot Noir

Pinot loves a cool growing season. The grapes are thin-skinned, ripen early, and want slow maturing to retain their acids. A warmer climate means the thin skins get damaged by the hot sun, the acids are degraded, and the grape sugars shoot up before the flavors can develop. You wind up with a flabby, soft, simple wine. 

2025 California Grape Crush Report

 The state agriculture department has released the 2025 Preliminary Grape Crush Report. Following are a few highlights.

Could This Be a Big Reason Why Wine Sales are Down?

You've heard that wine sales are looking gloomy, and you've probably heard different reasons why.

Younger consumers don't think it's cool because their parents drink it. There's too much competition from newer beverages like RTDs (ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks in cans), seltzers, ciders, and craft beer.  There are health concerns. Another contributing factor is a post-pandemic let-down after huge sales just after businesses reopened in 2021. These all contribute, but price may be key.

Cost of Goods Sold for Wine

What determines the price of a bottle of wine? There's definitely supply and demand, for certain wines and for certain grapes from certain places. What we'll cover here are the basics or labor, material, and overhead.

Wine Faults

Something ain't quite right with your wine, but you aren't sure what it might be or if it's just you. Following are the most common problems you can find with wine. Some of them happened at the winery, the others in storage, in transit, or in your hands.

Top Wine Stories of 2025

Welcome to 2026. We made it! Following are some of last year's big stories relating to the U.S. alcohol industry.

Largest Wine Retailers

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. 

Helping the Wine Industry

  Wine consumption is down, and most are citing the cause is the belief that alcohol is bad for you in any quantity. The wine industry is shrinking. What could help right the ship? 

Another Reason the Wine Industry is in Trouble

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.

Is Wine Uncool?

  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.

Alcohol and Stress

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.