Reply #10: I can maybe speak to the wine popularity issue..... [View All]

And I don't think that it's really wrapped up much with the other two. The wine industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade or so because of the highly focused and targeted marketing efforts of the wine industry itself. Concurrent with that, there has been incredible growth in domestic production capacity due to the large number of regional vineyards and wineries that have started making and distributing wine. Imports have also grown as new, less traditional suppliers have entered the market. Witness the wealth of quality wines coming out of Australia and New Zealand.

A lot of effort has also been put into educating consumers and getting them to think of wine as a less "snobby" product and recast it as a healthy and flavorful drink for the masses.

You can usually get a really good bottle of wine for under $10.00 these days. It's no longer a drink for special occasions or parties. Food Network chefs pair wine with every dish they make. Wine magazines have become part of the scenery at checkout stands in supermarkets.

Craft beer is undergoing a similar makeover with the public. The craft beer industry grew at a healthy 7% pace last year, and you will see continued efforts there to expand market share as people discover flavorful alternatives to mass-produced soda-pop beer.