StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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way wine, luring new wine drinkers to other varietals, much like White Zinfandel did 20 or 30 years ago. Luckily, moscato isn't burdened with the stigma that has attached itself to White Zin. "There are consumers who come into moscato and will migrate to other varietals," says Nyberg. "Others come in and enjoy moscato and just stay with it. They may branch out to a bubbly moscato or pink moscato. But that's it." Bubbly and pink moscato were natural portfolio Among Gallo's recent offerings are Barefoot and Gallo branded moscatos. extensions for Sutter. Most first founded, back in the 1940s. It began with a small recently, it launched a red moscato, blended with merlot. production, mostly for the family's own consumption, Sweet reds are a hot category in their own right – accordand now has multiple moscato brands under its umbrel- ing to Nielsen, the segment grew more than 200% last la, including Sutter Home, Ménage à Trois, Zibibbo, year – and brands like Sutter are hoping to capitalize on Terra d'Oro, Nine Vines, and Fre, an alcohol-free wine. Martini Moscato d'Asti, one example of The company's size and existing equity in various vinea traditional northern Italian Moscato yards helped it respond better than many of its competid'Asti, debuted in the U.S. in mid-2011. tors to the sudden and swelling demand for moscato. The fact that consumers already associated the company both trends. Gallo Family Vineyards, which launched its first moscato back in with the varietal was half the battle. 2006 and now produces two of the three most popular moscato brands sold in the United States, has expanded n the 1980s, we used to say that consumers 'talk its offerings to include pink and red dry, but drink sweet,'" says Nyberg. "When you moscato, as well as a white, pink and look at the younger consumer now, sweet is a red wine in the Barefoot line. It also has good thing, not a bad thing. Barefoot Bubbly, Barefoot Bubbly Young adults are being Pink, and Barefoot Bubbly Red brought up on the taste of sweet and moscatos. But portfolio extensions moscato will serve as an opportunity aren't the only way brands are hoping for consumers to come into the wine to entice consumers to drink more category because it's a pleasant varimoscato. Another trend they're hoping etal for them to drink." to capitalize on is cocktails. Sutter and other brands are now "Wine cocktails have become more and more popuputting the taste profile of moscato lar and people are excited to experiment with different right on the bottle, empowering conflavors," says Stephanie Gallo, vice-president of marketsumers to know exactly what they're ing for Gallo Family Vineyards and Barefoot Wines. buying. And yet, there is still the "One of our favorite Barefoot Moscato cocktails is called hope that moscato will act as a gateThe Fizzy Grape (red and green grapes, muddled lime juice, simple syrup and topped with Barefoot Moscato Moscatos are also appearing in Spumante)." Tetra Paks, like this 500 ml packSpeaking of cocktails, wine brands aren't the only age from Bandit, imported from ones banking on the moscato craze. Several spirits comArgentina. Talking Sweet "I 26 StateWays I www.stateways.com I January/February 2013