What should Americans be drinking this autumn?

Online delivery platform Drizly has made its predictions on the most popular drinks categories this fall, with one European country’s red wine coming out on top.

In 2023 to date, Italian wine accounts for a 7.4%  share of the red wine category on Drizly’s online platform, having risen from a 6.7% share during the same time period in 2022.

Italian grape varieties including Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Barbera, and Nebbiolo are among the fastest-growing red wine varieties on the platform this year, Drizly has said, predicting that their popularity will continue to grow into the colder months.

“It appears that consumers are beginning to see red wine as a more versatile, year-round drink rather than as a seasonal beverage, with increasing plans to drink it during the summer months – and that’s spilling over into the fall season as well,” says Liz Paquette, senior brand directory at Drizly.

She noted that 31% of respondents to Drizly’s annual consumer survey chose red wine as their go-to summer beverage.

According to NielsenIQ, consumer preference for Italian red wine is up 6% compared with last year, the highest growth of any country of origin, meaning these wines are second only to domestic reds in terms of preference.

Italian reds have an average price on Drizly of US$22.94 per bottle, compared to US$20.62 for red wines in general, meaning a substantial Italian offering could represent a significant boost to the bottom line for well-stocked retailers, since these imported wines carry higher average unit prices in 2023, the platform has said.

Data from Drizly’s annual consumer report also indicated a strong return for at-home consumption. Almost half (47%) of survey respondents said they planned to host as often as they did in 2022, while an additional 22% noted that they plan to host friends and family more often this year.