California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

Americans drank more wine last year than any country in the world, making
the U.S. the largest consumer of the beverage for the first time, as
identified by the Paris-based International Organization of Vine and Wine.

Additionally, global wine consumption totaled 6.4 billion gallons last year,
down 0.8% from 2007's level after years of growth, attributing the drop to
slowing world economies.

In yet another new report from the San Francisco-based Wine Institute, said
Americans drank more California wine in 2008 but opted for more-affordable
bottles.  The Wine Institute says that U.S. sales of California wines totaled
about 467 million gallons last year, up 2 percent from 2007, despite the
country's deep recession. But the retail value of the sales was down slightly
from 2007. Sales of California wine at restaurants fell 10 percent in terms
of volume because budget-conscious people are eating out less, the institute
said in a report.

Although overall world consumption declined, foreigners bought more American
wine. U.S. wine exports -- 90% of which are from California -- rose 8% to 130
million gallons last year, topping the $1-billion sales mark for the first time.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.