Nielsen data show Washington wine outpacing competition

 National sales of Washington State wines have increased 9.1% by value during the past year, a figure almost double that of overall wine sales, which increased only 4.7%. The figures come from Nielsen data for off-premise wine sales in the U.S. measured from July 2008 to July 2009. Nationally, volume sales of Washington wine are also up 6.8%, compared to the 2.4% volume increase for overall wine sales in the U.S. It's worth noting that the value increase of Washington wine sold is more than the volume increase, suggesting that consumers are buying more Washington wine at a range of price points.

Asked about the Nielsen data showing increased sales, Robin Pollard, the Executive Director of the Washington Wine Commission, said, "This is a testament to the consistent quality and value of Washington State wine. The fact that dollar sales are up more than volume sales is also heartening. It shows there is room for Washington State to expand our market share at all price points, and that consumers are recognizing the high quality-to-price ratio we offer."

These statistics cover only off-premise wine sales, or those that occur in grocery, drug, and liquor stores. With regard to other wine sales, Pollard said that, "It is true we hear, anecdotally, that wine sales in restaurants are down. However, wineries have consistently been telling us that their direct-to-consumer sales are up -- meaning more people are visiting wineries or tasting rooms and purchasing wine there, or buying through winery websites. This means our wineries are getting more interaction with customers, and building lasting relationships."

For more information on the Washington wine idustry, please visit www.washingtonwine.org.