U.S. wine sales fell 3.4% in the four weeks ended Aug. 15

U.S. wine sales continued to decline in the four weeks that ended Aug. 15, even as the pace of the drop slowed from earlier periods, according to NielsenIQ’s latest Full View: U.S. Wine Pulse report.

The report found that total wine dollar sales fell 3.4% from a year earlier, while volume declined 4.6%, a sign that the category is still struggling to regain momentum. NielsenIQ said the weakness was driven mostly by softer consumer demand, which accounted for 67% of the decline. Reduced distribution contributed 22%, and less effective promotions made up the remaining 11%.

On a week-to-week basis, sales were nearly flat. Dollar sales reached $364.4 million in the latest week measured, down 0.2% from the prior week. That steadiness, however, did not change the broader pattern of slow movement across the category.

Still wine remained the main source of pressure on the market. In the four-week period, still wine dollar sales dropped 4.0% and volume fell 5.1%. That left the overall wine category in negative territory even as some smaller segments showed growth.

Sparkling wine was one of the few areas to post gains. Dollar sales for sparkling wine rose 0.6%, and volume increased 0.3%. NielsenIQ pointed to seasonal consumption patterns as a possible reason, saying the segment’s lighter profile and its association with celebrations and social occasions likely helped support demand during the summer.

Non-alcoholic wine also continued to expand at a much faster rate than the rest of the category, though from a smaller base. Dollar sales in that segment climbed 17.6%, while volume increased 14.2%. The gains made non-alcoholic wine the fastest-growing wine segment in the report, extending a trend that has been building as more retailers and producers add alcohol-free options.

The latest figures cover total wine sales excluding wine-based cocktails. Within that market, performance among the largest suppliers was mixed.

E. & J. Gallo remained the top manufacturer by dollar sales, though its sales slipped 2.1% and case sales fell by 82,100. The Wine Group held the No. 2 position but posted a steeper decline, with dollar sales down 9.3% and case sales off by 240,000. Deutsch Family ranked third and was one of the strongest performers among major suppliers, with dollar sales up 5.3% and case sales rising by 27,000. Trinchero Family came in fourth, with dollar sales down 2.5% and case sales lower by 20,000. Delicato Family Wines rounded out the top five, with dollar sales down 8.0% and case sales down 63,200.

Among manufacturers ranked by dollar growth rather than size, Deutsch Family led the group. Constellation followed with dollar sales up 2.7% and case sales increasing by 7,400. Duckhorn Wine Company posted 1.8% dollar growth and added 2,000 cases. Wagner Family Wines reported a 2.6% increase in dollar sales and gained 1,400 cases. Copper Cane recorded the fastest dollar growth among that group at 7.3%, with case sales up by 1,500.

At the brand level, Josh remained the leading brand by dollar sales and also showed strong momentum. Its dollar sales rose 10.1%, and case sales increased by 44,200. Barefoot ranked second by dollars. Its dollar sales fell 1.7%, though its case sales still increased by 27,500, suggesting price or mix pressure even as unit movement improved. Bota was third, with dollar sales down 4.6% and case sales off by 34,000. Sutter Home held the fourth spot, posting a 3.0% decline in dollar sales and a drop of 15,700 cases. LaMarca ranked fifth and was one of the brighter spots among major brands, with dollar sales up 14.0% and case sales increasing by 22,500.

When ranked by dollar growth, Josh again led the list among major brands, followed by LaMarca. Whitehaven posted a 20.0% increase in dollar sales and added 7,700 cases. Made by James showed the sharpest growth rate in the report, with dollar sales up 1442.9% and case sales up 10,100, though that type of jump often reflects a relatively small starting base or expanding distribution. Kim Crawford also posted gains, with dollar sales rising 6.3% and case sales up by 6,800.

The report points to a market that is still under strain despite a few areas of resilience. Consumers continue to pull back, and that is showing up across much of the category in both dollars and volume. Even where some brands and segments are growing, the broader wine business remains weighed down by slower demand and softer results in still wine, which continues to represent the largest share of sales.

NielsenIQ’s findings suggest that the path to a wider recovery will depend less on short-term weekly stability and more on whether producers and retailers can reverse the decline in demand. For now, the strongest pockets of growth are coming from sparkling products, alcohol-free offerings, and a limited number of brands that are still gaining shelf space, cases, and pricing power in a weak market.