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DESIGNER DRINKS OUTPERFORM ..........

Designer drinks (not exceeding 5.5% ABV) were the runaway success story in December 2000 and in the first quarter of this year, according to the four most recent wine data sheets published monthly by the Wine & Spirit Association. (The data, for volume sales in both the off- and the on-trades together, come from HM C&E and the Office for National Statistics.) Wines made from fresh grapes have risen as a whole, both monthly (on the same month the previous year) and yearly (on the previous 12-month period). But this was due to the healthy, steady performance of still wines up to 15% ABV. Still wines above 15% and sparkling wines have been declining overall. And in March, even still light wines faltered, down 8.6% on March 2000. By contrast, sales of made wines as a whole have generally risen 10-15 times more strongly, thanks to those below 5.5% ABV. The growth rate of even these, however, slowed steeply in February and March, while made wines at 5.5-15% ABV deteriorated further. In December 2000, wines from fresh grapes were up 7.4% on December 1999, and up 4.4% on the year (at 1,093,000hl and 9,695,000hl respectively). Still wines up to 15% ABV were +12.4% on the month, +5.6% on the year. Those above 15% ABV were +19.8% on the month but -8.8% on the year. Sparkling wines were -13.8% on the month and -5.9% on the year. Made wines were +30.9% on the month and +45.2% on the year. Those below 5.5% ABV were +41.1% on the month and +54.6% on the year. Those 5.5-15% ABV were -18.4% on the month, and +3.7% on the year. During the first quarter of 2001, still wines below 15% ABV showed rises of 5.8% and 20.2% on January and February 2000, but a fall of 8.6% on March 2000. The corresponding yearly figures were +5.4%, +6.4% and +2.5%. Still wines above 15% were static in February, but suffered monthly falls in January (30.5%) and March (4.4%), and yearly falls of 10.9%, 10.4% and 11.1%. Sparkling wines were down 46.3% in January, up 29.8% in February, down 15.9% in March, the yearly figures being -14.1%, -14.6% and -17.4%. Taking wines from fresh grapes as a whole, the monthly figures were: -0.5%, +20.4% and -8.8%; the yearly figures +3.6%, +4.5% and +0.7%. In the same three months, made wines below 5.5% ABV were +54.6%, +17% and +9.5% by month; +54.4%, +49.7% and +42.6% by year. Made wines 5.5-15% ABV were -11.8%, -34.4% and -27.3% by month; +3.2%, -2.2% and -5.9% by year. For made wines as a whole, the monthly figures were +44.8%, +7.5% and +3.9%; the yearly figures +45.2%, +40.4% and +34.3%.

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