Wine has been a part of European and South American culture for a very long time, whereas the US is just now catching on. However, VinExpo has statistical evidence that shows the US will be the biggest wine consuming market by 2012! Go USA. Here are some interesting factoids:

• American consumption is expected to grow over the next five years despite the economic downturn, reaching 330 million cases or 3.96 billion bottles


• Fourth largest wine producing country in the world (362.4 million cases), behind Italy, France and Spain.


• Imported wine consumption will pass the 100-million-case threshold (1.2 billion bottles) by 2012, an increase of 17.9% vs. 2008, and should generate a turnover of close to $10 billion ($9.688 billion) at retail.


• Consumption of rosé wine is forecast to rise by nearly 10% from 565 million bottles to 620 million bottles. (GO PINK WINE!)


• In 2007, more than 31 billion bottles of wine were consumed around the
  world.


• The overall trend to 2012 indicates that world wine consumption will continue to increase by 6% over the 5-year period, reaching a total of 2.816 billion cases.