The other night, my wife and I hosted several friends for dinner. After a delicious meal, we enjoyed a glass of our favorite wine on the patio. My current hobby is blogging. They teased me about my knowledge of wine and related topics, and how I was able to write about it. I answered, "I do extensive research online to find information for my articles or Blog posts." My guest asked me, "Who is the largest producer of wine in America?" I replied, "I don't know, but you have given us an idea for our next article." I quickly went online to find the answer after everyone had left Blanton's Bourbon for sale
The United States has been producing wine for over 400 years. Each state has some form of wine production. California and Washington are undisputed leaders in American wine-production. California boasts that 90% of the wine consumed in the United States is made in its state. The United States is fourth in the world for wine production, with Spain, France and Italy taking the top three spots.
To find the top U.S. wine makers, I looked at several sources. The top four were the same in all the sources, but there was some variation in the "Top Ten” list. The lists were compiled from data from different years. This may have been the main reason why the lists varied. According to 2004 data, the country's top wine producer produces 300 percent more than the second. The top two wine producers produce more than 200 percent more than that of the fifth-highest.
E. & J. Gallo is the largest wine producer in the U.S. This privately-owned wine company celebrates its 77th anniversary in 2010. The company generates $1.7 billion annually, employs approximately 5000 people, and has a US sales volume of 66,000,000 cases. It also sells wine in over 90 countries. Many second- and third-generation family members still hold key roles in the company, which was founded by the Gallo brothers (source: Wine Business Monthly Review of the Industry: Top 30 U.S. Wine Company Profiles February 15, 2008).
Constellation Brands is America's second largest wine producer. The annual American wine sales volume is 59 Million cases. Another 53 Million cases are sold on the international market. Constellation Brands' strength is its wide-ranging portfolio of wineries, brands and wineries. Constellation Brands has approximately 3,200 employees in the United States. 500 of these people were previously employed by Jim Beam Whiskey's Beam Wine Estates. This company is Canada's largest wine seller and claims to be America's largest producer of premium wines.
The Wine Group, a San Francisco-based company with a 44 million case annual sales volume, is the number three producer. It was once part of a large soft drinks manufacturer. Bronco Wine Company is number four with a U.S. volume of 20,000,000 cases. Foster's Wine Estates is fifth with a U.S. volume of 20,000,000 cases.