Wine.com Releases Top 100 List; Reports Record Holiday Sales

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine.com, the nation's number one online wine retailer, today released its fourth annual Top 100. The Wine.com 100 reflects the top one percent of wine sold nationally on its site during 2010. In its fourth year of publication, the Wine.com 100 illustrates the movers and shakers in the wine business as well as definitive trends in consumer purchasing. The complete Wine.com 100 list for 2010 is available online at www.wine.com/100.

On the back of record holiday sales, the Wine.com 100 offers gift givers insight into the wines enthusiasts love most.

"Holiday sales are stronger than ever with Black Friday up 130 percent and Cyber Monday was the largest day of the year, so far," said Rich Bergsund, Wine.com CEO. "In line with the year's Top 100 trends, our average holiday order value is up significantly over last year and corporate giving is the strongest it has been in three years."

The number one wine on this year's list is the 2008 d'Arenberg Stump Jump Shiraz from Australia. d'Arenberg winery, a perennial favorite, holds a total of three spots on the 2010 list, including #18, a Red Blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre, and #51, the Footbolt Shiraz.  d'Arenberg Chief Winemaker and viticulturist, Chester Osborn said, "An award based on consumer purchases means a great deal, because it is the ultimate test of a wine's success. Like all d'Arenberg wines, the Stump Jump comes from unfertilized, sustainably farmed vineyards and is basket pressed and foot trod in the winery." Osborn added, "We are proud of delivering an interesting wine at a modest price point and thrilled that Wine.com customers agree."

While the average price of wine has been trending towards value across the entire industry, the average price point of wines on the Wine.com 100 list actually increased 30 percent over the past year to $28.44, which is the highest for the list in four years.

"We pull back the curtain once a year to offer insight into what consumers are actually buying. Our customers love wine and as trendsetters they tell a great story about the current state of our industry," said Michael Osborn, Founder and Vice President of Merchandising at Wine.com. "The Wine.com 100 list is valuable because it not only shows what's hot; it helps define macro level shifts in buying behavior."

Wines from Napa Valley exhibited a strong presence this year with 20 wines, up from 13 in 2009. Several notable Napa wineries appeared on the list for the first time, including two vintages of Joseph Phelps Insignia, and Cabernet Sauvignon from both Frog's Leap and Groth. Cabernet Sauvignon is the top selling varietal and makes up a quarter of the list. With Napa Valley leading the charge, domestic wines tied imports for the first time since the Wine.com 100 began.

Timeless classics of the list – wineries that have appeared every year – include California producers like Caymus, Chateau St. Jean and Silver Oak, as well as imported brands Veramonte and Kim Crawford. Sparkling wine sales continue to be brisk with Cristalino Brut Cava at the #2 spot, followed closely by Veuve Clicquot Brut at #4.

About Wine.com

Wine.com is the nation's #1 online wine retailer, according to Internet Retailer magazine's annual ranking of websites by revenue, offering thousands of wines, wine gifts, gift baskets and monthly wine clubs. Wine.com's mission is to be the ultimate resource for wine enthusiasts, whether shopping for themselves or sending a gift, by offering a great selection, low prices, convenient delivery and helpful information. Wine.com is the world's most visited wine web site, according to research conducted by comScore Media Metrix. For more information, visit the company online at http://www.wine.com/, http://blog.wine.com/, http://www.facebook.com/winecom and http://twitter.com/wine_com.

SOURCE Wine.com