Yeah, the article text seems to suggest that beer and wine are almost never drank in preference to water (though it never quite comes out and says that explicitly). But all the quotations put water, at best, as just a reasonable competitor, not a clear winner.

And as something a million times more affordable and easy to access, water being a reasonable competitor makes it a winner.

By analogy, Coke and mineral spring water both provide safe hydration. Yet more Coke is consumed by the average American.

It would be a myth to say Americans avoid Coke and prefer mineral water, because of the (random variable that doesn't wildly vary between the two drinks).