Sparkling wines defied the U.S. wine and spirits slump.

New data from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America shows that wine and spirits sales in the United States are still declining overall, but some wine categories are showing signs of improvement, especially sparkling wines and Sauvignon Blanc.

According to the WSWA’s SipSource data tracker, total wine and spirits volume fell 6.8% in the 12 months through July, while revenue dropped 6.1% over the same period. The more recent three-month trend also remained negative, with volume down 6.2% and revenue off 6.1%.

Within that weaker market, wine showed some areas of strength. Over the last three months, Champagne revenue rose 14.7%, Prosecco increased 10.2%, and Sauvignon Blanc gained 3.2%, according to the WSWA data reported Monday by Shanken News Daily. Those gains stood out against the broader downturn and suggest that some consumers are still spending in categories with a clear identity or established demand.

The data also pointed to a divide by price. Revenue trends for wines priced above $16 were notably better than for cheaper bottles. In the past 12 months, the $50-and-above wine segment posted a 0.9% increase, making it one of the few areas in the report that remained in positive territory. That suggests the upper end of wine has held up better than many middle and lower price bands, even as the market as a whole contracted.

Spirits were weaker than wine in the latest reading. Over the last three months, spirits volume declined 5.7% and revenue fell 7.1%, a softer performance than the prior month, according to the WSWA. The group said the widening gap between volume and revenue reflects continued pressure on premiumization, as consumers place more emphasis on value.

That pressure showed up across spirits price tiers. All revenue tiers are now down more than 5%, the data showed. The $50 to $99.99 range fell 9.5%, and all spirits priced above $50 were down 8.9%. Those figures suggest that consumers are pulling back not only on total purchases but also on higher-priced bottles that had benefited in recent years from trading up.

For the beverage industry, the breakdown matters because it may help shape buying, pricing, and inventory decisions at a time when broad market demand remains soft. The gains in Champagne, Prosecco, and Sauvignon Blanc point to categories that are still attracting consumer interest even as total volumes fall. At the same time, the weaker results in many premium spirits tiers may push wholesalers, retailers, and suppliers to think more carefully about pricing strategy and product mix.

The report also showed a difference between sales in bars and restaurants and sales through stores. On-premise business outperformed off-premise in the latest 12-month period. Total wine and spirits on-premise volume was down 2.8%, compared with a 7.5% decline off-premise. That gap indicates that while consumers are buying less overall, drinking occasions in restaurants and bars have been more resilient than purchases for home consumption.

The data comes at a time when suppliers and distributors are looking for signs of stabilization after a prolonged slowdown in beverage alcohol demand. The overall declines in both value and volume show the market has not yet returned to growth. Still, the stronger performance in selected wine categories suggests consumer demand has not weakened evenly across the market.

Sparkling wine was the clearest example in the latest figures. Champagne and Prosecco both posted double-digit revenue growth over the last three months, outperforming still wine and the broader beverage alcohol market. Sauvignon Blanc also moved into positive growth, giving suppliers another indication that certain varietals continue to resonate with buyers even in a cautious spending environment.

The price data adds another layer to that picture. Wine above $16 performed better than lower-priced segments, while spirits above $50 saw pronounced declines. That contrast may reflect differences in buying behavior between wine and spirits consumers, or it may point to category-specific brand strength and occasion-based spending that continues to support some wine purchases.

WSWA’s SipSource tracker is closely followed across the industry because it gives distributors, suppliers, and retailers a current view of depletion trends, revenue movement, and channel performance. In the latest release, the central message was that overall conditions remain weak, but the wine segment is showing more promising signs than spirits, with sparkling wine and Sauvignon Blanc leading the improvement and on-premise continuing to hold up better than off-premise.