US world wine boost

North American wine drinkers will consume the most over the next three years, with imports expected to increase by nearly 18%

North America will dominate global wine consumption over the next three years, according to research by the International Wine & Spirit Record (IWSR), as US consumer habits shift more towards drinking wine and spirits.

The , projecting against previous growth in US wine consumption of 14% between 2003 and 2007. At present, red wine dominates the market but the researchers believe that rosé will grow almost 10% over the next three years, and white wine 5.4%.

Americans consumed an estimated 1.47 billion litres of wine in 2008 and it is said this will increase to 1.74 billion litres over the next five years. In 2007 the US was the fourth largest wine-producing country in the world, after Italy, France and Spain respectively.