ABSTRACT

The U.S. wine industry is in the midst of a radical transformation, from a largely domestic industry to a global industry. This paper examines the U.S. wine industry's current performance in global markets. Survey questionnaires were sent to each winery from California and the Pacific Northwest listed in the Wines and Vines Directory in order to tap into their export experiences, intentions, opinions, and assistance needs. The wineries surveyed account for a significant portion of the wine produced and exported by all U.S. wineries, thus are representative of the country’s production. The excellent 24% response rate adds depth and richness to the findings of this first comprehensive export study of the U.S. wine industry.