French Wines Selling for 3 Reasons

[Craig Camp]

The figures on French wine sales in the United States for the first five months of 2003 have just been released: up 11.6 percent in total sales and down 11.8 percent in volume.

[badthings]

When measured by volume, French wines sold in U.S. supermarkets fell 15.5 percent in the first half of the year from a year earlier, according to Cartiere. By contrast, Spanish wine sales rose 20.5 percent in the first half from a year earlier, he said.

NY Post/Reuters

My local wine merchants -- several of whom sell French wine almost exclusively -- haven't reported a downturn at all.

[Phil Ward]

Most retailers may not be reporting a down turn, but I can tell you that in NJ most of the restaurants I sell to have reported very sluggish sales of French wines. This from Bergen C.. to Cape May Co. (Norhtern NJ to Southern NJ).

Phil Ward