French Wine Sales Down In United States

Wine Spectator ^ | April 30, 2003 | Dana Nigro

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How much have poor Franco-American relations affected sales of French wine in the United States? With some wine drinkers and politicians boycotting Bordeaux and Burgundy ever since France opposed war in Iraq, anecdotal reports from individual retailers, restaurateurs and wine producers indicated that French wines were taking a hit.

Finally, some hard numbers are now available. According to data provided by Information Resources Inc., which tracks retail purchases in the United States, sales of French table wine were indeed off in late February and March. French wine sales have declined over the past year, but the recent drop is more marked, and is far higher than the corresponding dip in sales of U.S. table wine.

For the four weeks ending March 23, 2003, total sales of French table wine in the United States dropped by 17.2 percent in case volume, and 19.4 percent in dollar value, compared to a year earlier. For the 52-week period ending March 23, sales were down 13.9 percent in volume and 13 percent in dollar value. IRI's InfoScan tracking service collects scanner data from multiple retail outlets.

In comparison, sales of U.S. table wine in this country only dropped 1.2 percent by case volume for the same four-week period, and 3.2 percent in dollar value. American wine sales were actually up 3.4 percent in volume and 3.6 percent in dollar value for the 52 weeks ending March 23.

Despite declines in sales in these two categories, overall sales of table wine from around the world were up 1.8 percent in volume during those four weeks and up 5.6 percent in volume for the 52-week period. That means that the percentage increase in sales of imported wines would have even higher if it had not been for the downward pressure on French wines.

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...total sales of French table wine in the United States dropped by 17.2 percent in case volume, and 19.4 percent in dollar value...

Previous discussion on this subject here.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Goodie, goodie.Now if the lifers (j*ck*sses) at the State Department would do something more concrete...yeah, right. It might hurt their PR.

[ex-Texan]

*BUMP !*

'I drink no wine before its time' -- The Frog's 'time' is now and that means I will consume not one drop from this day forward and forever. F'daFrogs.

Spanish Wine, Aussie Wine and anyone else's wine is just more fun, too.

[Burkeman1]

And according to French law the first to be laid off will be Americans who work for French wine distributors . . . Good going.

[sam_paine]

"French table wine?" Like Vino de Tavola? Like low end stuff only? What about the high end stuff?

[Nick Danger]

See, this is why the Democrats will never be the party of business. Here is a tremendous opportunity for wine growers in the United States, and all the Democrats can think to do is peddle sour grapes.

[Drango]

Bite me France...

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

A small price to pay. Plus, maybe they can go work for some other wine producer. Sounds like other countries' aren't having such a bad time.

[Bella_Bru]

French wines aren't the only decent wines out there. Californian and Australina wines are very good, and recently, I bought a good bottle of Israeli wine.

[Burkeman1]

A small price to pay for what?

[oldironsides]

France is biting America and so are other European nations. Pratt and Whitney submitted the lowest bid for Airbus transport engines by 20% and Chirac will make sure they do not get it. It is a two way street guys.

[VRWC_minion]

Look out French Fries, your next.

[grapeape]

I still am reluctant to buy toshiba products because of what the Japanese did to the navy. It will be a long time before I buy anything French. I think because of the way they treated us and to put a face on it Colin Powell. I don't believe he deserves the hate he gets on here. He'll always have my support even if I disagree with what is going on at the time.

[ODDITHER]

"That means that the percentage increase in sales of imported wines would have even higher if it had not been for the downward pressure on French wines."
Huh?
I would bet based on the fact that overall, wine sales were down, that people who wanted to make a statement chose to buy imported Anything-but-French wine. Which means that imported (ABF) wines would have been flat or would have fallen.

[RepublicanHippy]

"I bought a good bottle of Israeli wine"

Better watch that stuff! I rarely ever drink alcohol, but I had some Israeli wine once that was supposedly made from grape leaves - it about knocked my socks off. I ended up being treated in a hospital in Jericho the next day for dehydration and the worst hangover ever.

[Dutchgirl]

Argentina has good vintage for Merlot and Malbec for 2003, if you like red and fruity in your wine but not your politics...

[johniegrad]

How much have poor Franco-American relations affected sales of French wine in the United States?

My opinion would be for France to change its corporate name to "Franco-Arabia" to strengthen its hold on the Iraqi wine market. Maybe no one will be beheaded now.

[SamAdams76]

My wife and I went to a fancy restaurant to celebrate our anniversary this past weekend. The wine list offered various French wines at prices comparable to their non-French alternatives. That tells you something right there. Usually the French wines are considerably more expensive than most other wines. The waiter also "suggested" wines and all of them were French. Obviously they are eager to move some of that inventory. I ordered a California red (J. Lohr "Seven Oaks" cabernet) and the waiter practically sniffed as he took the order.

[Hillary's Folly]

" I rarely ever drink alcohol" That's your first problem. Wine of any kind will make you very hungover, and it takes less of if than other drinks, IMHE (experience)

[Beck_isright]

Works for me. The US and Aussie wines are just as good and in some cases better. Especially since they have a "capitalist" flavor instead of a commie backstabbing one.