How Much Will You Spend on a Bottle of Wine? Americans Now Say $21.

Americans may be feeling financially constrained these days. And they may also be drinking less, as exemplified by the booming Dry January movement.

But that’s not stopping them from spending $21 on a bottle of wine.

That’s the price that has emerged as the consumer “sweet spot,” according to a new survey of more than 1,000 wine-industry professionals. And the figure is higher than a year ago, when the same survey, done by the wine-promotion company Colangelo & Partners and research firm Wine Opinions, found that $20 was the hot price tag.

To be clear, wines priced $10 and under—the so-called “jug” or “popular premium” categories—still account for the bulk of U.S. wine purchases. But a growing number of consumers are trading up—and that’s where the $21 “sweet spot” figure comes into play.

“It’s where the industry sees the most excitement and enthusiasm,” said Juliana Colangelo of Colangelo & Partners.

Wine professionals point to a variety of factors that explain why consumers are willing to spend $21 for a bottle.

For starters, many Americans have become more sophisticated about wine and can talk knowingly of a range of varietals and styles in a way that was unheard of a generation ago. And with that level of sophistication comes that desire to trade up, wine pros say.

“They want to expand their horizons,” said Leo Le, beverage director of Momoya Soho, a New York City restaurant.

Adam Levy, who organises wine competitions in cities across the world and heads up the Alcohol Professor website, said that he believes people are entertaining more at home, given the Covid-era hesitancy about eating at restaurants. And when they entertain, they’re willing to spend a little more, he explained, especially given that prices for bottles are still much lower at retailers versus restaurants.

Levy also said that wine prices have generally been increasing, due to supply-chain issues and other factors, so consumers who want to drink better will have to pay more by extension. “There’s so much pressure on wine producers,” he said.

Finally, Colangelo makes the point that natural wines have become very popular, especially with younger consumers. These wines are typically more expensive, so it stands to reason that the pricing “sweet spot” will go higher over time.

“You don’t really get a naturally produced wine for less than $20,” she said.

Pure Amazon, an A&K Sanctuary, has officially launched its voyages into the 21,000-square-kilometre Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.

Designed for just 22 guests, the new vessel positions itself at the high end of wilderness travel, offering quiet, immersive, and attentive experiences with a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. The focus is on proximity to wildlife and landscape, without the crowds that have made parts of the Amazon feel like tourism has arrived before the welcome mat.

Where Architecture Meets the River

The design direction comes from Milan-based architect Adriana Granato, who has reimagined the boat’s interiors as part gallery, part observatory. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame rainforest scenes that shift hour to hour, and every space holds commissioned artworks by Peruvian artists.

The dining room’s centrepiece, Manto de Escamas de Paiche by Silvana Pestana, uses bronze and clay formations that mirror the scale patterns of the Amazon’s giant fish. Pestana’s works throughout the vessel reference environmental fragility, especially the scars left by illegal gold mining.

In each suite, hand-painted kené textiles by Shipibo-Konibo master artist Deysi Ramírez depict sacred geometry in natural dyes. Cushions by the BENEAI Collective feature 20 unique embroidered compositions, supporting Indigenous women artists and keeping traditional techniques alive in a meaningful, non-performative way.

Wildlife Without the Tame Script

Days on board are structured around early and late river expeditions led by naturalist guides. Guests may encounter pink river dolphins cutting through morning mist, three-toed sloths moving like they’re part of the slow cinema movement, and black caimans appearing at night like something from your childhood nightmares.

The prehistoric hoatzin appears along riverbanks, giant river otters hunt in packs, and scarlet macaws behave like the sky belongs to them. The arapaima — the same fish inspiring Pestana’s artwork — occasionally surfaces like an apparition.

A Regional Culinary Lens

The culinary program is led by a team from Iquitos with deep knowledge of Amazonian produce.

Nightly five-course tasting menus lean into local ingredients rather than performing them. Expect dishes like caramelised plantain with river prawns, hearts of palm with passionfruit, and Peruvian chocolate paired with fruits that would be unpronounceable if you encountered them in a supermarket aisle.

A pisco-led bar menu incorporates regional botanicals, including coca leaf and dragon’s blood resin.

A Model of Conservation-First Tourism

Pure Amazon’s conservation approach goes beyond the familiar “offset and walk away” playbook. Through A&K Philanthropy, the vessel’s operations support Indigenous community-led economic initiatives, including sustainable fibre harvesting and honey production in partnership with Amanatari.

Guests also visit FORMABIAP, a bilingual teacher training program supporting cultural and language preservation across several Indigenous communities. Notably, the program enables young women to continue their education while remaining with their families — a rarity in remote regions.

Low-intensity lighting, heat pump technology, and automated systems reduce disturbance to the reserve’s nocturnal wildlife.

The Experience Itself

Itineraries span three, four, or seven nights. Mornings often begin with quiet exploration along mirrorlike tributaries; afternoons allow for spa treatments or time on the open-air deck. Evenings shift into long dinners and soft-lit river watching as the rainforest begins its nightly soundtrack.

Granato describes the vessel as “a mysterious presence on the water,” its light calibrated to resemble fire glow rather than a foreign object imposing itself on the dark.

It is, in other words, slow travel done with precision.

How Much Will You Spend on a Bottle of Wine? Americans Now Say $21.

Pure Amazon has begun journeys deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, combining contemporary design, Indigenous craftsmanship and intimate wildlife encounters in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.