While chardonnay and merlot continue to dominate the list of fastest-growing wine varietals served at bars and restaurants, some of the sweeter varieties are showing signs of life. While still small at a 6% share, moscato nearly doubled its share in 2013, and surpassed shiraz and malbec. And while some look down on white zinfandel, the sweet pink wine increased its share very slightly to 4.2% in 2013. (For more on pink wines, see Pairing Pink Wines from the April 2014 issue of Cheers.)

The data is from the OnTrac research study, conducted annually by the Beverage Information Group (the research unit of Cheers’ parent company). OnTrac surveys more than 2,000 on-premise accounts, including fine dining restaurants, casual-themed eateries, hotels, bars and taverns in 31 major metropolitan markets. The full report is available in the 2013 On-Premise Barometer Handbook (visit www.BevInfoStore.com for more information).