Sparkling wine drinking is growing in the US

Sparkling wine consumption in the US is growing, according to a new report from Wine Intelligence.

Sparkling Wine in the US Market 2015 suggests that approximately a third of US sparkling wine drinkers, or 18 million Americans, are drinking sparkling wine at least once a week

The trend is set to drive the market through the 20 million cases a year barrier, predicts the report.

Wine Intelligence’s Vinitrac surveys show that while domestic fizz remains the dominant sub-category, within the past year there have been substantial advances for Prosecco and Cava; 1 out of 5 sparkling drinkers in the US now consume more of these two sparkling wine types than they did 12 months ago. Champagne, which has long been the dominant sparkling import in the US, is facing fresh competition from producers in Australia and New Zealand.

WI’s research director, Juan Park, said: “The sparkling wine category is the star of global wine industry growth and the US is no exception. The move to more informal occasions away from formal celebrations is opening up a lot more opportunities for innovation."