Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/599364
Super-Premium Wine www.beveragedynamics.com such as the luxe Provençale rosé Whispering Angel from Chateau d'Esclans, and Marqués de Ri- scal's top Riojas. According to Shaw-Ross national fine wine director Paul Chevalier, the move relates directly to in- creasing comfort with higher p r i c e p o i n t s . " C u s t o m e r s in key markets around the coun- try are accustomed to paying $15 for a nice glass of wine in a restau- rant, so spending a twenty-dollar bill on a whole bottle seems quite reasonable." This uptick couldn't come at a bet- ter time for smaller California vintners. They have been squeezed by price-con- scious shoppers on one side, and the ris- ing costs of producing fine wines from recognized appellations on the other, according to second-generation Napa Valley winemaker Josh Phelps. Case in point – Taken, the $30 luxury brand he launched post-recession with child- hood friend Carlo Trinchero did well at $30, well below the Napa average. When they were ready to expand, "we saw a real gap one level down at $20, the per- forming new 'luxury' divisions, snapping up scarce resources and launching aspirational brands that fashion higher-quality wines tai- lored to the preferred fl avor pro- fi les of yesterday's value drinkers. So far in 2015, California's in- dustry leader Gallo has acquired two prestige wineries, Monterey's Talbott and sparkling specialist J Vineyards & Winery, adding to a growing cadre of iconic brands that includes leading imports in the $20 plus segment like Allegrini and Pieropan from Italy. Treasury Wine Estates just bought most of Diageo's US wine brands and assets, greatly expanding high-end offerings [see sidebar]. Premiumization has been the prevailing trend since 2011, but wines in the $10 to $15 segment were fi rst to lead in growth. Double-digit year-on-year increases in that category show no signs of slipping, but 2015 numbers show a shift in momentum toward even higher end wine. Dale Stratton, Vice President of Strategic Insights at Constellation Brands, confi rms that "wines over $20 are the fastest growing segment at retail and this trend is likely to continue." Importers are seizing upon the chance to capitalize on this shift as well. Florida-based Shaw-Ross, which built its business on the success of Blue Nun, recently launched a new divi- sion called the Lineage Collection for its over-$20 imports, rant, so spending a twenty-dollar bill on a whole bottle seems This uptick couldn't come at a bet- ter time for smaller California vintners. They have been squeezed by price-con- scious shoppers on one side, and the ris- ing costs of producing fine wines from recognized appellations on the other, according to second-generation Napa Valley Case in point – Taken, the $30 luxury brand he launched post-recession with child- hood friend Carlo Trinchero did well at $30, well below the Napa average. When they were ready to expand, "we saw a real gap one level down at $20, the per- "Wines over $20 are the fastest growing segment at retail and this trend is likely to continue." — Dale Stratton November/December 2015• Beverage Dynamics 47