IRI reported that Christmas week sales reached $1.74 billion, an increase of 4% from the prior year and up 26% versus the prior week, marking only the second time beverage alcohol sales exceeded $1.7 billion, that being the week of July 4, 2020. All categories experienced gains over a year ago: wine, up 3.6%, and spirits, up 7.6%, a top week ever for absolute dollars in IRI-measured channels, reporting out just before the 2022 holidays. The Union of French Champagne Houses said that Champagne sales reached an all-time annual high, hitting $6.05 billion in sales from increased exports. Sales rose by volume in 2022 compared with 320 million bottles sold in 2021, but remain below the 2007 record of 339 million. A related sign of continued record sales perhaps, a Jan. 2 news release from CivicScience stated fewer Americans intended on going alcohol-free for Dry January. Gen Z leads interest in 55% in the “very likely” to participate, with millennials “significantly down” from year’s past to 44%, ages 35-54 at 38% and ages 55-plus rising to 41%.