Winery Hiring Stays Strong Through September

(Wines&Vines) - Winery hiring in production and hospitality jobs remained strong this September, marking the start of harvest and the end of summer tourist season.

The 33% growth in the Winejobs.com Winery Job Index coincided with higher off-premise wine sales and strong direct-to-consumer shipments as all of Wines Vines Analytics markers stayed positive for the sixth consecutive month.

The total offers by flash site resellers in September also was up 17% over the previous month, the largest increase in 2013.

The hospitality sector continued to lead winery hiring activity with a 42% increase from September 2012. Winemaking also grew by 23% from the same time last year, and sales and marketing posted an 8% increase.

Domestic wine sales maintain growth

Off-premise sales of domestic wines in September increased 6% over 2012 and the annual growth rate remained steady at 7%, according to scan data analyzed by IRI, the Chicago-based market research firm. Four-week sales reached $541 million, and 52-week sales reached $6.8 billion at the food, drug, convenience and wine/liquor stores monitored by IRI.

Two red and two white wine types grew at 11% or more: Pinot Noir and red blend/Meritage for reds, and Fumé/Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio/Gris for whites. Their growth helped offset the declining sales of Merlot, Syrah, white Zinfandel and Riesling.

Pinot’s popularity in three channels

As part of its regular monthly metrics report, Wines Vines Analytics focused on the popularity of Pinot Noir wines.