DIRECT WINE SALES REACH $2.4 BILLION

According to figures released by wine marketing advisors VinterActive, direct to consumer wine sales (which includes tasting rooms, wine club and internet) reached an impressive $2.4 billion in 2006. Consumer demand for wine club, internet and phone/mail orders jumped 58% to $1 billion in 2006 as more states adopted direct wine shipping laws. Specifically, wine club sales grew 66% to $600 million, while online sales were up 45% to $200 million.

At the same time, tasting rooms and other events took a hit with sales down 18% due to reduced spending and fewer visitors. Could it have something to do with recent liquid bans on airplanes, or is it that Americans are growing lazy with all this direct shipping litigation? Nevertheless, poor tasting room sales brought the total direct wine sales to $2.4 billion last year, about 10% of total annual wine sales (not too shabby.)

“Falling tasting room and event sales were attributed to higher fuel prices and competition from new wineries - reducing average visitor counts in many wine regions. Airline restrictions on wine as a carry-on item were cited as reducing onsite sales in some regions,” said the company.

More than 230 wineries from 35 U.S. states completed VinterActive’s questionnaire from Dec. 2006 through Feb. 2007.