Sales at beer and liquor stores and agencies hit $19.4 billion in the 2008-09 fiscal year. (iStock)

The latest national figures suggest Canadian palates — at least when it comes to alcohol — are becoming somewhat more sophisticated, as the market share of beer declines.

While beer by far remained the most popular alcoholic beverage in terms of both volume and dollar value, Statistics Canada reports its market share has declined.

In 1993, beer peaked at 53 per cent of dollar sales and wine accounted for 18 per cent. By 2009, the market share of beer had declined to 46 per cent, while wine had captured 29 per cent.

Beer and liquor stores and agencies sold $19.4 billion worth of alcoholic beverages during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, three per cent more than in the previous year.

Statistics Canada attributes the dollar growth to an increase in sales of imported spirits and beer compared with domestic products, and a one per cent average increase in the cost of alcoholic beverages.

Combined with other alcohol-related items, such as liquor licenses and permits, provincial and territorial liquor authorities took in more than $5.4 billion for the year, the agency said.

Total liquor store sales in 2008-09 were up three per cent from the previous year, and the provincial governments' take was up 3.6 per cent.

In litres of absolute alcohol — pure alcohol, free of water — the agency said the volume of sales of alcoholic beverages increased 1.6 per cent to 226.4 million litres.