The Grocery Price Index
Wine, red and white table
U.S. city average · May 2026
Wine averaged $13.84 per liter in May 2026, down 1.0% from last month and up 0.7% from last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data.
July 1995 – May 2026 · 370 monthly observations · Source: BLS series APU0000720311.
Wine prices fell 1.0% from April to May 2026 and are 0.7% higher than a year ago. Prices remain below the December 2014 peak of $14.42 but well above their 1995 level of $4.68.
What drives the price of wine
Table wine begins with grapes, so the size and quality of the wine-grape harvest — set by weather, drought, and frost in regions like California — establishes the baseline cost, and a short crop can take a season or more to pass through. But by the time a bottle reaches the shelf, glass, closures, oak, multi-year aging and storage, distribution, and branding account for much of the price, which is why everyday table wine is far steadier than fresh produce. Federal and state alcohol excise taxes add a fixed per-volume charge on top.
BLS series APU0000720311 tracks the average retail price of wine, red and white table at the U.S. city average, measured per liter and reported monthly back to 1995.
Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Fruit and Tree Nuts · U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau — Wine. Price data: BLS series APU0000720311.
Frequently asked questions
How much does wine per liter cost right now?
As of May 2026, wine averaged $13.84 per liter at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.
Are wine prices going down in 2026?
The latest 2026 BLS reading shows wine prices down 1.0% versus the prior month and up 0.7% versus a year ago (May 2026).
What is the highest price wine has reached?
The record high is $14.42 per liter, set in December 2014; the record low is $4.45 in August 1995.
Where does this wine price data come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Average Price Data program, retrieved via the BLS Public Data API. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.