Idaho has shocked the country by being ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for wine consumption per person, according to a recent report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This news has brought both excitement and a bit of doubt to the local wine industry.
The ranking was unexpected, even for those working closely with wine in Idaho. But whether it’s 100% accurate or not, the attention it’s bringing to the state’s growing wine industry is definitely welcome.
Reactions from Idaho’s Wine Industry
Moya Shatz-Dolsby, the executive director of the Idaho Wine Commission, shared her mixed feelings when she first heard the news. She said, “My first reaction was, ‘Wow, this is awesome.’ My second reaction was, ‘Is it really true?’”
Other industry experts like Ron Bitner, a winemaker from Caldwell, also reacted with surprise. He appreciated the recognition but wasn’t entirely convinced. “I think it needs further investigation,” he added.
Still, many in the industry see the ranking as a big boost. Gregg Alger, who owns a vineyard and winery in Caldwell, said, “It’s good publicity. It keeps the conversation alive about the wine industry in Idaho.” He even had his team share the news on social media, where it quickly went viral.
Growing Buzz Around Idaho Wine
The report was picked up by VinePair, a wine-focused website that broke down the NIH data. The site admitted that Idaho’s top ranking didn’t fully match up with commercial sales data but pointed out that Idaho’s wine scene is expanding quickly.
And that’s true—Idaho’s winery count has grown from just 11 in 2002 to 52 today. Back in 1976, there was only one winery in the entire state. Now, Idaho produces around 225,000 cases of wine every year, with the industry contributing $169 million to the state’s economy, according to a report by the Idaho Wine Commission (IWC).
The Big Challenge: Low Market Share for Local Wine
Despite the state’s high wine consumption, Idaho wine still only makes up about 10% of the total wine sold in the state. This means most of the wine consumed in Idaho actually comes from other places.
Mike Williamson, another vineyard owner and IWC commissioner, said it best: “Now that we know people are drinking wine in Idaho, that is the next question—how do we increase the market share for Idaho wine?”
Shatz-Dolsby agreed, saying, “If our market share is 10 percent, that means there is still a lot of other wine being consumed in the state that is not Idaho wine.”
Understanding the Report’s Numbers
The NIH study looked at alcohol sales from 1977 to 2015 and added 2016 updates. It found that while California drinks the most wine overall, Idaho leads when it comes to per capita consumption.
Here’s what the report said:
- Idaho: 1.19 gallons per person per year
- California: 0.59 gallons per person per year
- U.S. national average: 0.44 gallons per person per year
That’s quite a lead for Idaho, especially considering its population is only around 1.7 million, compared to California’s 39 million.
How Neighboring States Ranked
States close to Idaho showed much lower per capita wine consumption:
- Utah: 0.19 gallons
- Wyoming: 0.32 gallons
- Montana & Washington: 0.52 gallons
- Oregon: 0.6 gallons
- Nevada: 0.61 gallons
Clearly, Idaho stands out in the region—and the entire country—when it comes to wine enthusiasm.
Whether the numbers are spot on or not, Idaho’s top ranking in wine consumption per person is shining a bright light on the state’s wine industry. With a growing number of wineries and increasing economic impact, Idaho wine is clearly on the rise. Now, the focus is on converting that buzz into real growth for local wines. If Idahoans are already drinking wine, boosting local wine sales could be the next big win for the state.
