Wine-Based Cocktails Surge 30% as Traditional Table Wine Sales Drop Nearly 7% Nationwide

Off-premise wine sales in the United States continued to decline in September, with the most significant drops seen in glass-bottled wines priced between $4 and $20. According to data from Nielsen NIQ scan data for the four weeks ending September 6, 2025, total off-premise table wine sales fell nearly 7 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching $1.2 billion. The value of wine sold in glass bottles dropped 7 percent to $1.05 billion, with double-digit declines for wines priced under $11.

Boxed wine also faced challenges. Sales of box wine priced below $4 fell almost 8 percent to $46 million. However, boxed wines priced above $4 saw a modest increase of more than 3 percent. This growth was not enough to offset the losses in lower-priced segments, leaving total box wine sales flat year-over-year.

Looking at a broader timeframe, the latest 52-week data shows persistent declines. Total table wine sales value dropped nearly 6 percent to $17.2 billion. The decrease was again driven by falling sales of glass-bottled wines across all price points. Boxed wine sales rose nearly 2 percent to $2.3 billion over the same period.

Wines in glass bottles priced between $4 and $20 accounted for about 70 percent of total table wine sales value but experienced a decline of more than 6 percent, totaling $12 billion in the past year.

Sales volume mirrored these trends. In September, off-premise table wine sales volume fell more than 7 percent to 10.9 million nine-liter cases. Glass-bottled wines priced between $4 and $8 saw a nearly 10 percent drop, losing over 300,000 cases compared to last year and totaling 2.8 million cases sold during the period.

Boxed wine volume also declined despite gains in higher-priced products. Sales of boxed wines priced above $4 increased but could not compensate for a more than 7 percent drop in sub-$4 boxed wines, resulting in an overall decline of nearly 2 percent to 3.3 million cases.

Over the past year, total table wine sales volume fell more than 6 percent to 153 million cases nationwide. Boxed wine volume slipped by just over one percent to 43.9 million cases, while glass-bottled wine volume dropped nearly 7 percent to 112 million cases. Wines priced between $4 and $7.99 lost more than 8 percent in volume, or about 3.6 million cases compared to the previous year.

While traditional table wines struggled, wine-based cocktails showed strong growth. In the latest 52 weeks, this category surpassed $1 billion in sales for the first time, making it the third largest behind table and sparkling wines. Wine-based cocktails—which include premade mimosas, sangrias and other ready-to-drink options—grew nearly 30 percent in value and 25 percent in volume, reaching a total of 11.5 million nine-liter cases sold.

The average price for table wine is now about $9.35 per standard bottle (750 ml), while most wine-based cocktails cost less than $8 per bottle. Research from the Wine Market Council and Vista Grande indicates that consumers are drawn to these cocktails not only for their lower price but also for their flavors, perceived health benefits and suitability for social occasions.