The production of wine and spirits swung into action after the war, and during the 1950s and 60s spirits production increased
year by year. However, from the 1970s a change occurred. The sales of spirits stagnated and then decreased year by year.
In contrast, wine sales began to pick up. Norwegians taking package tours to southern Europe was the new trend, and in Spain
and Italy they discovered the joys of the grape. On returning home to Norway they brought newly acquired eating habits – and
a penchant for wine.
This trend has continued throughout the decades, right up to the present. The sales volume of spirits was more than five
times that of wine sales in 1970; in 2004 the ratio was still five to one, but now in favour of wine.