News Briefs for September 11, 2012
September 11, 2012•Wines retailing below the $9 a bottle mark saw volume decline 0.4% to 118 million cases in Nielsen channels in the 52 weeks through August 18, but wines $9 and over continued to surge, rising 11.5% to 33.2 million cases. Wines priced between $9 and $12 a bottle rose 13% during the period, while the $12-$15 category rose 8%, the $15-$20 segment rose 9% and the over $20 segment jumped 13%. Total table wine volume increased 2% to 151 million cases for the year though August 18. The three-liter box area (+14%), as well as Malbec (+23%), Moscato (+45%), rosé above $8 (+17%) and sweet reds (+108%) continued to be among the key growth drivers within the broader wine market.
•Ultra-premium Napa winery Opus One is opening a Bordeaux office and appointing a new vice president of international sales, industry veteran Laurent Delassus, to help boost its global presence. Delassus has previously served as export managing director at two Bordeaux negoçiants, Mahler-Besse and most recently Veyret-Latour. In his new role he will be based at Opus One’s new Bordeaux office, and will oversee regional sales managers in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Opus One’s wines have been distributed outside the U.S. solely by selected Bordeaux negoçiants since 2004, and are currently present across Europe, Asia and other emerging fine wine markets, reaching 65 countries in all. The winery is a partnership between Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA and Constellation Brands.
•Russian Standard vodka has introduced a new bottle for its Russian Standard Gold variant. The new packaging will be available in all global markets by the end of the year. It features an embossed gold foil label and gift box as well as an intricate glass design and cork closure “for popping on special occasions.” Russian Standard Gold made its debut in the U.S. market last October and is priced around $45 a 750-ml. It joins Russian Standard Original as well as Russian Standard Platinum and luxury vodka Imperia in the Russian Standard USA stable.
•Young’s Market Co. has made two new senior management appointments. Young’s has promoted Hayden O’Shea to the position of executive vice president and general manager of Young’s California operations, effective immediately. O’Shea joined the Young’s team in 2009 as senior vice president of the Estates Group, Young’s fine wine division. The company also promoted company veteran Daniel Grunbeck to the newly created position of senior vice president of corporate sales strategy and analysis. Both O’Shea and Grunbeck will report directly to Young’s CEO Chris Underwood.
•Chef and restaurateur Laurent Tourondel, formerly of BLT Restaurant Group, is opening the first New York City location of his LT Burger concept this week near Bryant Park. The casual eatery, which already has locations in Sag Harbor, New York, and Panama City, Panama, serves American comfort food, including specialty burgers and milkshakes, as well as wine, beer and cocktails. Tourondel also has plans to open a new steak house concept, Arlington Club, this fall on Manhattan’s Upper East Side with hospitality team the Tao Group, as well as his new BLT American Brasserie concept in Midtown Manhattan’s Cassa Hotel.
Subscribe to Shanken News Daily’s Email Newsletter, delivered to your inbox each morning.Tagged : restaurants, Russian Standard, vodka, wine, Young's Market Co
