RTDs, Tequila Lead Retail Sales Heading Into Summer Season
RTDs, Tequila, and Sauvignon Blanc continue to lead retail trends as the summer season kicks off. “RTDs are still growing,” says Mat Dinsmore, owner of Wilbur’s Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Colorado. “We are seeing people put out remarkable quality cocktails, including Crown Royal RTDs ($14 a four-pack of 12-ounce cans) and Ketel One Botanical Vodka Spritz Cucumber Mint ($15 a four-pack of 12-ounce cans). One that’s kind of a sleeper but doing quite well is Mule 2.0. They do a Moscow Mule and Mexican Mule ($14 a four-pack of 12-ounce cans).”
Wines in the $14-$20 price point range are performing well at Wilbur’s. “Kendall Jackson ($15 a 750-ml. bottle), La Marca Prosecco ($18), and Baus Family Vineyards ($20) have done really well with traditional varietals,” Dinsmore says. “Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc continues to shine. Rosé shot like a rocket ship for a couple of years. We are still selling a lot of it, but it has plateaued.” Top-selling rosés at Wilbur’s include Les Vignerons de Tavel Cuvée du Roy Tavel rosé ($20 a 750-ml.), Belle de Provence ($17), Second Growth Willamette Valley rosé ($19), and Gérard Bertrand Cotes des Rosés ($19).
Tequila is the hot spirit at Wilbur’s. “We are seeing some people trending down from super-premium into more affordable $30 to $50 price points,” Dinsmore says. “That is a sign of the economy. Above $60 has been slow. However, Cincoro ($99 a 750-ml. of Blanco to $160 a 750-ml. of Añejo) does OK. Milagro ($28 a 750-ml. of Silver to $65 a 750-ml. of Select Barrel Reserve Añejo) is a popular brand for making Margaritas.”
At Premier Group, which has three liquor stores and two gourmet grocery stores in the Buffalo, New York area, High Noon ($11 a four-pack of 12-ounce cans) and Surfside ($10 a four-pack of 12-ounce cans) are leading RTD sales. “It’s the start of a good six to eight weeks of business with Father’s Day and the Fourth of July,” says manager Jon Notarius. “This is also the time of year we see the explosion of RTD cans starting to sell in a big way.”
“Business has been solid thus far in 2025,” adds Paige Flori, co-owner of Boutique Wines, Spirits and Ciders in Fishkill, New York. “We are up over 10%, but mostly due to increased events, assertive pricing and promotion, and community outreach.” Top-selling RTDs at Boutique include Cutwater Margarita ($5 a 355-ml.) and Olmeca Altos Margarita Strawberry ($20 a 750-ml.). Since March, Sauvignon Blanc has picked up and is the store’s white varietal sales leader so far this year. And lower-alcohol wines, hard cider, Tequila, and alternative agave products such as mezcal, sotol, and bacanora are also gaining traction.
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