It’s that time of year again: the publication of Wine & Spirits magazine's annual restaurant poll, showing the wines most commonly chosen by diners across the country.
There are many familiar faces in this year's poll, with Cakebread, Jordan, Duckhorn, Sonoma-Cutrer and Silver Oak taking the top five places in the list of most popular wine brands. Their enduring quality is confirmed by the fact that all five featured in the original top 50 list, published in 1990.
The poll is also very much an American tale, with California providing the entire top 10 and American wines taking up the top 18 places.
| The 10 Most Popular Restaurant Wine Brands |
|---|
| 1. Cakebread Cellars |
| 2. Jordan |
| 3. Duckhorn Vineyards |
| 4. Sonoma-Cutrer |
| 5. Silver Oak Wine Cellars |
| 6. Frank Family |
| 7. La Crema |
| 8. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars |
| 9. Decoy |
| 10. Franciscan |
The first non-American brand is Veuve Clicquot in 19th place. Its entry into this year's top 20 reflects the rise of bubbles, including Prosecco, on wine lists. The only other Champagne house to feature in the top 50 is Billecart-Salmon with an average list price of $154.
The survey was compiled using responses from 218 restaurateurs that provided a list of their 10 top-selling wines in the last quarter of 2013.
The magazine notes that over the past 25 years, taste preferences have changed in the on-premise dining scene.
'Chardonnay, once the dominant variety with 44 percent of the most popular wines in restaurants, has given way to Cabernet and Pinot Noir and a host of other varieties,' it said in a statement.
Indeed, Chardonnay-based wines make up just 11 percent of all top-selling restaurant wines, according to the latest poll. Pinot Noir accounts for 14.5 percent - a slight fall from its peak in 2009 while Cabernet Sauvignon maintains its ascendant position on a steady 17 percent. It also commands the highest average prices.
But there is more diversity than ever, say the pollsters. Sommeliers report an increased interest in wines from Greece and Portugal, Sancerre, and Argentine Malbec. Wines from Central and Eastern Europe are also on the rise.
Even so, Californian brands round out the premier league, with Frank Family, La Crema, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn's Decoy, and Franciscan Oakville Estate taking places 6 to 10. Marchesi Antinori, which was the only foreign wine in last year's top 10, drops to 25th spot.
According to Wine & Spirits magazine, the poll also revealed that restaurants are experiencing the strongest sales of wine since the 'great recession' of 2008. Seventy percent of respondents said there had been an increase in the proportion of their total sales represented by wine.
Related stories:
联系客服
