GALLO SURGING AHEAD IN CATEGORY GROWTH

IRI data concluded that U.S. wine leaders – Gallo, Constellation and the Wine Group – experienced August volume growth of 3.9%, 2.1% and 1.6%, trailing the category’s growth of 5%. The lagging numbers are influenced by the fact that these companies have average prices below the industry, where low-end wines are flat or down. Sales increased by 7.2% for Gallo, 6% for Constellation and 1.8% for the Wine Group.While Constellation’s volume growth continues to sink below the industry, downward trends