American wine is very popular among Drizly consumers, with half of all wine sold on the platform originating in the U.S. That far outranks the second-most popular wine country of origin, France, which comprises 21 percent of wine sold on Drizly, and the U.S. has held this top spot for years.

However, the average price of American wines sold on Drizly is 11 percent less than the average price of imported wines on the platform, suggesting that American drinkers associate domestic wines with value, and reach for European and imported wines for special occasions.

While the margins may be lower, American wines give retailers opportunities to drive wine sales more frequently and develop consumer loyalty. “The top American brands offer strong basket builders for retailers,” says Liz Paquette, Drizly’s head of consumer insights. 

Though wine is made in all 50 states, the top five brands sold on Drizly are based in California — a statistic that is unsurprising given that California wines comprise 91 percent of the American wines sold on Drizly (followed by Oregon and Washington, which each hold four percent of share). California also dwarfs other major wine-producing states in terms of volume, producing an average of 81 percent of all American wine each year.

Within the American wine subcategory, purchases skew heavily toward red wines versus white and sparkling, with reds holding 59 percent of share. Among those wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is the top-selling grape variety, accounting for 28 percent of share. The grape is followed in popularity by Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, at 18 and 14 percent of share, respectively. 

Three of the top five American wine brands on Drizly — Josh Cellars, Decoy, and Bota Box — boast Cabernet Sauvignon as a popular SKU. Likewise, two of the fastest-growing American wine brands on Drizly in 2021 to date — Brown Estate in Napa Valley and Greenwing in Washington’s Columbia Valley — produce Cabernet Sauvignon, suggesting that this varietal can drive sales among Drizly consumers.

Additionally, consumer familiarity with California wine combined with strong national distribution have made these wines household names. All of the top five brands boast strong nationwide distribution and significant brand recognition, indicating that retailers stand to gain by offering well-known American wines in addition to bottles from upstart or local brands.

Learn more about Drizly’s top five American wine brands over the past 12 months and discover their best-selling SKUs on the platform.

Josh Cellars

Based in the Carneros appellation, which straddles the Napa and Sonoma counties, Josh Cellars has been producing California wines since 2005. The brand has built its reputation on Cabernet Sauvignon, which remains its most popular offering. With an annual production of more than one million cases, Josh Cellars wines offer classic, varietally-labeled California wines at approachable price points. The estate also offers a line of reserve wines and trendy bourbon barrel-aged offerings. 

The most popular Josh Cellars SKUs on Drizly include: Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Josh Cellars Chardonnay, Josh Cellars Pinot Noir, Josh Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, and Josh Cellars Rosé.

Bota Box

Bota Box is a leading producer of bag-in-box wines which appeal to value-oriented and environmentally-conscious drinkers. The most popular boxed wine brand on Drizly, Bota Box offerings range in size from single-serve offerings — an increasingly popular format across categories — to extra-large offerings ideal for serving a crowd. 

The most popular Bota Box SKUs on Drizly include: Bota Box Pinot Grigio, Bota Box Cabernet Sauvignon, Bota Box Sauvignon Blanc, Bota Box Chardonnay, and Bota Box Dry Rosé.

Barefoot

Barefoot’s award-winning wines are a division of the E. & J. Gallo wine family, located in Modesto, California. The brand offers its wines in a range of formats, including splits, portable cans, standard, and large-format bottles, strengthening its positioning as a versatile lifestyle brand. Barefoot is also notable among the top five brands because it is the only brand whose most popular SKUs are largely white and rosé wines, rather than red offerings.

The most popular Barefoot SKUs on Drizly include: Barefoot Pinot Grigio, Barefoot Moscato, Barefoot Chardonnay, Barefoot Pink Moscato, and Barefoot Merlot.

Decoy

Boasting nearly 40 years of experience in California, Decoy benefits from strong brand recognition in the market, particularly because it’s the entry-level offering from Duckhorn Vineyards. Decoy has extensive vineyard access in California, though it specializes in Sonoma fruit.

The most popular Decoy SKUs on Drizly include: Decoy California Cabernet Sauvignon, Decoy California Pinot Noir, Decoy California Sauvignon Blanc, Decoy Sonoma County Chardonnay, and Decoy California Red Wine.

La Crema

Headquartered in Sonoma County, La Crema specializes in cool-climate expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from top California and Oregon appellations, from the Willamette Valley to Santa Lucia Highlands. Founded in 1979 and purchased by the popular Jackson Family Wines in the 1990s, La Crema’s success has been buoyed by the increasing popularity of Pinot Noir from California.

The most popular La Crema SKUs on Drizly include: La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir, and La Crema Monterey Chardonnay.