Number of millions of bottles of Champagne shipped to the U.S. last year. The U.S is the second largest export market for Champagne in the world, second only to the U.K. Gradually on the rise in a particularly bright spot is rosé Champagne with 17% of the total Champagne sales in the U.S. last year.
Number of Walmart stores in the U.S. that now allow adult customers with an I.D. to pickup wine, beer, and spirits via their drive-up grocery pickup service. (Needless to say, after purchase, those beverages cannot be consumed in the car). At least 10% of Walmart stores with this service are in California and Florida.
Percentage increase in brain efficiency in individuals who drink tea (green, oolong, or black) at least four times a week, according to a new study by the National University of Singapore. In the U.S., tea is the number two hot beverage of choice after coffee with revenues of nearly $215 billion in 2019–a nice 7% increase over 2018.
Number of bottles of Bordeaux sent to the International Space Station earlier this month by Space Cargo Unlimited, a Luxembourg-based start-up. The wine is part of an experiment by French and German universities to determine how decreased gravity and space radiation affect aging in wine. The wine will remain at the space station for a year.
Amount (in billions of U.S. dollars) spent in 24 hours during this year’s “Singles’ Day” in China, the largest retail buying holiday in the world. On Jingdong, just one of China’s major e-commerce platforms, wine, beer, and spirits sales increased fourfold. The most popular wine brand was Penfolds, followed by Great Wall (China) and Lafite Rothschild (Bordeaux).
Year that wine was first put into individual cylindrical bottles. Before that time, most wine was sold directly from a cask. Customers brought a container to the winery or wine shop and simply filled their container directly from the barrel. The first wine to be commonly bottled was Port from the Douro region of Portugal.
Number of days the start of California’s commercial Dungeness crab season was delayed this year due to concerns that crab nets were entangling whales and other species. Fishermen will finally cast their nets today for one of the West Coast’s most succulent delicacies. (BTW, Dungeness crab and chardonnay are one of the best American food and wine marriages).
Percentage of U.S. adults who drink wine, spirits and/or beer, according to a recent Gallup report. Interestingly, the percentage of adults who drink some form of alcoholic beverage has not changed drastically in the last 80 years. The lowest percentage was in the late 1950’s and the early 1990’s when only 55% and 56%, respectively, of adults drank alcohol. The highest percentage occurred in the late 1970’s when over 70% did.
Year that President Abraham Lincoln first began pardoning a turkey for Thanksgiving. Even though Lincoln’s son, Tad, pleaded for the turkey’s life to be spared, the first saved bird was actually brought to the White House for Christmas dinner. The formality of pardoning a turkey did not become official White House tradition until 1989 during George H.W. Bush’s administration.
Maximum amount (in U.S. dollars) that New York City restaurants will be fined for selling foie gras, as of 2022. The controversial ban (approved last week) only applies to traditional foie gras made by force feeding ducks or geese until their livers are extremely large. Critics of the expensive delicacy say the practice is unethical and cruel.
