Avenue Vine

A report detailing yet another potential health benefit of red wine sent consumers streaming to their local wine shops and supermarkets in November, pushing U.S. red wine sales to record levels.

Shoppers bought 4.2 million cases of red wine during the four-week period ending Nov. 18, an 8.3 percent increase over the same period in 2005, according to ACNielsen, which tracks wine sales at grocery stores, drugstores and liquor markets.

The surge followed a flurry of stories in major U.S. newspapers Nov. 2 about a new study on resveratrol, a natural substance in red wine. The study, which was also widely covered on TV, found that resveratrol extended the lives of fat mice.

"While most (people) are unlikely to read the details surrounding the study, they sure remember headlines that reinforce a linkage of red wine to health," said Danny Brager, vice president with ACNielsen.

The increase is a far cry from the 44 percent jump in red wine sales immediately following the 1991 "60 Minutes" story that has become legendary in Wine Country. The story examined the "French paradox," suggesting that wine consumption might explain why the French have a lower rate of heart disease than Americans despite their fattier diet.

Nevertheless, industry experts said the data strongly indicate last month's surge in wine sales was likely caused by the widespread news coverage of the resveratrol study.

"To me, there is clear evidence that the stories both generated interest in red wine and all wine, for the simple reason that it's front-page newswriting about wine in a positive way," said Jon Fredrikson, president of Woodside wine consulting firm Gomberg Fredrikson & Associates.

The stories and TV reports explained a study conducted on mice by the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging. The study reported that high doses of resveratrol may offset the negative effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extend their life spans.

The study followed two groups of mice, both of which were overfed. The first group, as expected, became overweight, showed early signs of diabetes and liver problems, and died earlier than normal mice.

The second group gorged on the same diet, but was also given large regular doses of resveratrol. This second group also gained weight, but showed none of the signs of diabetes or liver problems, and lived several months longer than the first group, according to the study, which appeared in the journal Nature.

Consumers trying to drink enough wine to get the same dosage of resveratrol as the mice would probably not escape liver problems, however.

The mice were fed 24 milligrams of resveratrol per kilogram of body weight. Red wine has about 1.5 to 3 milligrams of resveratrol per liter, so a 150-pound person would need to drink 750 to 1,500 bottles of red wine a day to get such a dose.

"I don't think people understand you have to drink a 55-gallon drum to get that," quipped Eric Zouzounis, an engineer from Sonoma who shopped for red wine Tuesday at Beverages and More on Santa Rosa Avenue.

He drinks wine as part of a healthy lifestyle, but doesn't drink more of it when a new study is released, he said.

However, many wine drinkers already believe wine may have health benefits - and further proof of it could easily cause more people to reach for a cabernet sauvignon over a chardonnay or a six-pack of beer, Fredrikson said.

Anecdotal evidence from local wineries bolsters the notion that red wine sales are strong.

Last month was the strongest November ever at Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards in Kenwood, said spokeswoman Marcia Kunde Michelson.

The winery shipped more than 10,000 cases last month, she said. Publicity over one study is probably not the only cause of the demand for Kunde's wines, she said.

Improved local marketing efforts in the Sonoma Valley and excellent recent vintages have all created momentum for the winery, she said.

Other Sonoma County wineries are reporting solid red sales as well.

Sales at Rodney Strong in Healdsburg are up more than 5 percent for the year, according to Dan Wildermuth, vice president of marketing.

He said the news is far from the "holy grail" that would send sales soaring.

"The health aspect I think is pretty much well-known by most consumers, but this just serves as another pat on the back," he said.

Santa Rosa's Jackson Family Wines, owner of Kendall-Jackson Winery, has seen a steady increase in demand for red wine over the past year, said President John Grant.

"It's a very healthy segment of the wine market, which is healthy in and of itself," Grant said.

ACNielsen's Brager is careful not to point only to publicity as the reason for the increase.

Red wine sales were already up 4.3 percent for the 12-month period ending Oct. 21, before the resveratrol study was publicized. Consumers bought 47.8 million cases of red wine at stores tracked by ACNielsen, up from 45.8 million cases the prior 12 months.

"I think we need to give it another couple of periods just to see if this is a short-term reaction," Brager said.

Jean Pierre Huser, a hospitality manager at a Napa Valley winery, is certain there is merit to the notion that red wine is good for you.

"Look at the French," Huser said as he shopped for wine at Beverages and More. "I'm totally convinced of its benefits."

Huser should know - he's French. But the French are healthy not just because they drink wine, Huser said. They also eat slowly, which aids digestion, and exercise more than their American counterparts, he said. "In France, you only take the car out on Sunday. Here we take the car everywhere," he said.

Oakmont resident Judith Cadieux was purchasing five bottles of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon Tuesday afternoon at Costco in Santa Rosa. She's not sure if the wine will make her live longer, but doesn't really care.

"It's going to make me enjoy life," she said.

Source: “Red wine sales soar on new health benefits research,” Kevin McCallum, Press Democrat, December 6, 2006

Additionally - The Source of this Latest Trend &:
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“Red Wine Helps Obese Mice Live Longer and Stay Happy,” November 02, 2006

“Red Wine Extract Selling Out Fast!," November 06, 2006