The Trend in Wine Drinking

Wine consumption is on the rise in America -- in 2007, an estimated 304 million cases of wine were sold. That's the largest number in U.S. history. But, these days, the wines we are drinking are more economically priced. According to a Miami Herald article:

As the South Beach Wine & Food Festival opens its four-day run Thursday, those who make, distribute and sell wine are scrambling to keep us sipping in a bad economy, and we who imbibe are benefiting from their trouble.

. . . Supermarkets are running specials, cutting $15 wines to $10 and $10 wines to $5. Wine shops are bringing in less expensive labels from new areas. Smart sommeliers are offering cheaper choices in the face of declining restaurant wine sales.