Wade through the numbers, sort through the statistics, talk to the retailers, and one thing becomes clear about 2025 holiday wine sales in the U.S.: Yes, the declines in October, the first month of the selling season, were beyond depressing. Overall, wine depletions fell 8% over the previous 12 months, according to SipSource data from WSWA, and Rosé-style wines were down 11%.
However, that may not be the only story.
Rather, is what’s going on in U.S. wine shops and stores this season a glimpse at what may constitute the new normal for wine sales in this country? That is, a wine market centered around three trends: First, those aged 60 and older continue to buy fewer. Second, volume is still looking for a bottom, but value is more or less holding its own driven by demand for more expensive wine. Third, younger shoppers are buying limited amounts of wine for holidays and special occasions but not for much else.
“I think that’s a pretty good handle on the situation,” says Rob McMillan, EVP & Founder, Wine Division, Silicon Valley Bank. “That showed in a recent study based on Wine.com data, as well as other data I’ve been working with.”
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