Moscato grape variety is big in the US
Sales of wine in the US hit a new record in 2012, spurred on by drinkers' growing thirst for Moscato. It accounted for 6% of wines sold through retail chains overtaking Sauvignon Blanc and just behind Pinot Grigio. The other big seller in the US currently is Malbec.
Moscato has seen a rise in sales mostly based on its lower-alchohol, lightly sparkling style. The grape variety has also had endorsement from hip-hop stars such as Lil' Kim and Kanye West.
Overall wine consumption in the US is expected to expand as consumers have more access to wine with wine retail locations increasing by over 50,000 in the last five years. Better distribution is also helped by Facebook Gifts and Amazon moving into online wine sales and direct wine shipping which is now allowed in 39 US states.