U.S. wine sales hit record in 2012

SAN FRANCISCO, April 9 (UPI) -- U.S. wine sales reached a record $34.6 billion in 2012 with California vintners accounting for 58 percent of the total, the Wine Institute said.

The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday U.S. wine sales climbed 2 percent over 2011 to 360.1 million cases worth $34.6 billion.

U.S. wine exports, 90 percent of which originate in California, rose 2.6 percent to $1.43 billion.

California overall shipped 250.2 million 9-liter cases with a value of $22 billion, the institute said.

"The United States is the largest wine market in the world with 19 consecutive years of volume growth," said Robert Koch, president of the Wine Institute.