Screw Cap Wine Sales Rise at Wine.com

Wine.com reported today that wines using screw cap closures made up 17.5% of its wine sales, for the 12-month period ending May 31, 2007. Sales were comprised of 52.6% white wines and 41% red, with Rosé and dessert wines accounting for the remaining 6.4%. The top four wine regions leading the screw cap trend were Australia (39%), California (24%), New Zealand (20%), and France (5%). Wine.com features a section devoted to wines using screw cap closures, nearly one third of which are rated 90 points or higher by professional wine critics and publications such as Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Robert Parker and Stephen Tanzer.

"The most exciting facet of our sales in the past 12 months is the growth of red wines under screw cap, reporting more than 41% of our total screw cap sales,” said Michael Osborn, Founder and Vice President of Merchandising at Wine.com. “Screw caps are growing increasingly popular among winemakers due to the closures ability to avoid cork taint, a chemical that gives affected wine a musty smell and taste."

"Our customers like to try wines that critics have recognized with high scores,” added Rich Bergsund, CEO of Wine.com. “The fact that so many wines with screw caps are doing well on this front has lead to trial and repurchase."

According to ACNielsen, sales of screw cap wines contributed to 4% of total 750ml table wine sales for the 52-week period ending December 16, 2006, grossing $191.9 million in retail off-premise sales.

Paige Poulos, founder of the Alliance for Innovative Wine Packaging (AIWP) and President of Paige Poulos Communications said, "Screw caps are here to stay. Innovators like G-3 Enterprises and Stelvin are providing convenient closures that enhance packaging and ensure wine quality. Winemakers and their wine loving fans are embracing them. This is a very healthy market dynamic."