As the summer months set in last month, consumers reached for lighter options: lower-alcohol beers and alternatives, zero-sugar wines, and non-alcoholic spirits. Still, a few fuller-bodied subcategories made gains, among them a tequila and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brand, and Italy’s famed Brunello di Montalcino. Get these and more insights from Drizly’s June 2023 sales.

Category Growth for NA Spirits, Brunello di Montalcino, and Hard Soda

Famed Italian wine Brunello di Montalcino – made from Sangiovese Grosso, also known as Brunello – was a standout subcategory within wine last month, which is in line with 2023 Consumer Report trends noting that consumers would be reaching for more red wine during the summer months. Top-selling producers include Argiano, Cantina di Montalcino, Contemassi, Ciacci Piccolomini, and Fattoria La Lecciaia.

As they did the month prior, non-alcoholic spirits led liquor category growth, pointing to the notion that consumers are bringing more balance into their summer gatherings. Top-selling brands include Seedlip, St. Agrestis, Ritual, Lyre’s, and Ghia. Within the beer category, an emerging hard alternative, hard soda, saw high year-over-year gains. The top-seller last month was Not Your Father’s Root Beer followed by Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

Occasion Insights: Father’s Day

Father’s Day was one of the year’s top occasions for gifting in 2023, with gift order share sitting at 12 percent. Liquor was popular to gift on Father’s Day, holding 65 percent of gift sales share, followed by 28 percent for wine and six percent for beer. This is a dramatic difference from Mother’s Day 2023 gifting trends, when wine held 66 percent of gift sales share.

Scotch whisky held the most share for gifts on Father’s Day at 29 percent (though it was down from last year’s 33 percent), followed by bourbon at 25 percent (which was up from last year’s 19 percent). Añejo tequila (six percent of share) and Japanese whisky (five percent of share) were both flat, while reposado tequila (five percent of share) was down from seven percent last year.

Drizly’s Most-Gifted Products on Father’s Day 2023

1. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne
2. The Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
3. Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky
4. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whiskey
5. Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
6. Don Julio 1942
7. Dom Pérignon Vintage Champagne
8. Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels
9. Clase Azul Reposado Tequila
10. Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon

Market Insights: Augusta, Georgia

Since alcohol delivery was legalized in Georgia in 2020, local markets have continued to grow on Drizly. In June, Augusta, Georgia, was the fastest-growing market in the country (as it was in August 2022).

Liquor comprises a whopping 75 percent share of sales in Augusta, followed by 12 percent for wine and 11 percent for beer. Compared to national averages, it over-indexes on whiskey (34 percent vs. 31 percent), vodka (31 percent vs. 23 percent), rum (seven percent vs. four percent), and brandy (six percent vs. three percent) within the liquor category. Tequila and ready-to-drink cocktails are less popular in Augusta than they are nationwide.

June’s Breakout Beverage Brands

Tequila brand Mi Campo experienced high year-over-year growth within the spirits industry last month. The Mi Campo Reposado Tequila was the bestseller last month, followed by their blanco tequila and two RTD options: Mi Campo Blanco Tequila Spicy Jalapeño Margarita and Mi Campo Reposado Tequila Mango Mule.

Simply Spiked, which launched in 2022, experienced breakout growth within the beer category in June. The brand has pushed the hard lemonade category forward in the past year, and sales last month were driven by the variety pack, peach, and strawberry flavors. Buoyed by the “better for you” trend among consumers, zero-sugar, organic, vegan wine brand Bellissima (which is also backed by model and actress Christie Brinkley) experienced strong growth within the wine category. Its Zero Sugar Brut Sparkling Wine was a bestseller, followed by the Zero Sugar Pinot Grigio and Zero Sugar Rosé.

Beer Consumers Are Returning to Lager

After years of lager lovers drifting away to alternatives like hard seltzer, consumers are returning to the tried-and-true lager category. Lager held 42 percent share of the beer category in June 2023, up from 38 percent in June 2022. Within the lager category, light lager leads at 45 percent of share, followed by American-style lager at 18 percent and pilsner at 15 percent.