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38 WINES&VINES December 2015 THE BEST OF 2O15 Best Growth by Type SPARKLING WINE Sparkling wine sales grew twice as fast as table wine this year in the off-premise channel, according to market-research firm IRI. Counting imports and domestic sparkling together, the category gained 12% in value and 9% in volume, com- pared to 6% and 2% for table wine. Moreover, sparkling wine sales passed Pinot Grigio/Gris sales to become the third biggest wine varietal or type in the multi- ple-outlet and convenience stores tracked by IRI. That meant only Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon sold more. Domestic sparkling wine grew by a respectable 9% in value and 6% in volume, but imports stole the show as they rose by 17% and 15%, respec- tively. Best Brand BAREFOOT Barefoot, a brand of E. & J. Gallo Winery, was far and away the off- premise sales leader in 2015. It led second- place Sutter Home by 44%. Barefoot's sales grew by 6% as the average bottle price dropped by 2% to $5.61. The brand's strength was apparent particularly when com- pared to performance of the $5-$7.99 domes- tic table wine category as a whole, which grew only 1% in sales. SALES Source: . Wines Vines Analytics. Sales in multiple outlet and convenience stores, 52 weeks ending Oct. 4, 2015. OFF-PREMISE AVERAGE BOTTLE PRICE Zinfandel Pinot Noir Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon Blanc 0 $2 $4 $6 $8 $10 $12 Bottle Price Wines made from Oregon grapes such as those from Willamette Valley Vineyards (shown) com- manded the highest price per bottle in 2015. Best Bottle Price by Varietal ZINFANDEL Collectible Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley gets a lot of attention for pushing the price envelope upward, so it may seem surprising that the varietal with the highest average bottle price in U.S. off-premise outlets is the California heritage variety, Zinfandel. Zin grew by only 4% in sales and 1% in volume, but it averaged $11.24 per 750ml bottle, which was 35 cents more than a year ago. Best Bottle Price by Region OREGON With an average bottle price of $14.52, Oregon led all major wine- producing states and import coun- tries. The price of Oregon wines went up 31 cents per bottle, while also increasing in sales dollars by 13% and volume by 11% in off- premise stores measured by IRI. Oregon's emphasis on high-priced Pinot Noir and the non-existence of wines under $10 helped the average stay high.