Pinot (and more) By The Numbers

Pinot Noir accounts for 2.8% of the food store wine market but is rising rapidly. The varietal has grown by 26% in volume over the last year and 111% since 2005. Dollar sales have risen 24% between 2006 and 2007 and 117% since 2005. (Wine Business Monthly)

The average restaurant price for Pinot Noir has risen from $45 in 1994 to nearly $70 in 2006. (Wine & Spirits)

The 2006 California grape harvest was down 17% from 2005. Merlot fell even further, by 22%. Meanwhile, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris both saw gains (12% and 16%, respectively). Pinot Noir’s gain is not nearly enough to meet current demand. (Wine & Spirits)

Sales of Oregon Pinot Noir, by case, increased from 352,789 in 2000 to 810,950 in 2006. The 2006 Oregon harvest resulted in 20% to 30% higher yield than either of the prior two years. Supermarkets across the country are selling 20% more Oregon wine. (The Oregonian)

Retail sales of Pinot Noir were up 20.3% in dollars in 2006. Rosé priced above $6.50 grew a startling 23.9% and rosé sparkling wine went up an amazing 42.9%. (Wines and Vines)

A jeroboam of 1988 Domaine Romanee Conti Romanee Conti sold at Christie’s New York Auction (9/16/06) for $94,000 ($40,000 above estimate)

Francois Pingult purchased René Engel’s 15-acre vineyard in Vosne-Romanee for 23.5 million dollars, the highest per acre price ever paid for vines in Vosne-Romanee.

Exports of Pinot Noir from New Zealand increased 151% from 1/04 to 1/06. Pinot Noir has overtaken Chardonnay as the second biggest wine export for New Zealand. Big increases in exportation were noted to Canada, Germany, Ireland and Japan.

2004 world acreage of Pinot Noir: Champagne— 31,283 acres, Burgundy— 26,016 acres, California— 24,055 acres, Oregon— 7,637 acres, and New Zealand— 3,239 acres. 2004 total grape acreage: California— 440,296 acres, Champagne— 81,196 acres, Burgundy— 66,287 acres, New Zealand— 17,809 acres, and Oregon— 13,700 acres.

Burgundy produces 105 million bottles of Chardonnay and 75 million bottles of Pinot Noir annually. There are 4,000 domaines, 59 types of soil, and the Cote d ‘Or stretches a total of 31 miles.

There are now wineries in all 50 states. As of November, 2006, the number of wineries in the United States had increased to 5,970 (4,383 bonded and 1,587 virtual or non-bonded wineries). The top four states are California (2,923 wineries), Washington (507 wineries), Oregon (364 wineries) and New York (270 wineries). California added 465 wineries (28% increase) in 2006, Washington 65, and Oregon 49. Half of all North American wineries have an annual production of 15,000 cases or less. (Wines & Vines, Wine Business Monthly).

75% of U.S. wine drinkers purchase wines in the $6-$10 and $10-$15 ranges. Two-thirds drink that wine within a week, and almost one-third drink it within 48 hours.

Nearly 74% of California wine is sold in the other 49 states!!

3-5 lbs-the weight of a bottle of wine. $30,925-the cost of a full page ad in the Wine Spectator. 40-the number of wine blogs on the internet in 2004, 400-the number of wine blogs in early 2007. 250-the number of Masters of Wine in 20 countries (24 are Americans). 6th-the ranking of grapes as an agricultural crop in the United States.