News Briefs for January 3, 2013
January 3, 2013•The Fetzer brand has unveiled its first new U.S. wine range in 30 years—a pair of blends dubbed Crimson and Quartz. The blends, which began shipping in October, both retail at $10 a 750-ml. Crimson Red Blend features Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, while Quartz White Blend is a mix of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Grigio. Fetzer, which was acquired by Concha y Toro from Brown-Forman in 2011, has shown steady declines in recent years. The brand was down 15% to roughly 1.5 million cases in 2011, according to Impact Databank.
•Following efforts to premiumize Bud Light and Budweiser with line extensions Bud Light Platinum and Budweiser Black Crown, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) is now upscaling its Beck’s label with the launch of higher-alcohol Beck’s Sapphire. Brewed with German Saphir hops and packaged in a sleek black bottle, Beck’s Sapphire (6% abv) made its debut at exclusive New Year’s Eve parties across the country. The extension will target high-end clubs, bars and restaurants nationwide and will be available at retail in six- and 12-packs of 12-ounce bottles. The launch will be backed by a national ad campaign throughout 2013, ABI said. The company moved production of Beck’s from Germany to St. Louis early last year. All Beck’s beer for the U.S. market is now produced at ABI’s St. Louis brewery.
•Spirits sales in control states showed a 10.3% increase in November, according to NABCA. Year-to-date volumes through October grew by 4.3%, as total 2012 growth likely outstripped 2011’s rise of 3.25%. Michigan, the second-largest control state, soared 32.6% in November as all 18 control spirits markets grew during the past 12 months. The top 15 spirits companies in control states all showed gains in November and year-to-date. Among the 100 biggest brands, the fastest growth came from New Amsterdam vodka, Cîroc Peach, Fireball cinnamon-flavored whisky and Tito’s Handmade vodka. Irish whiskey remained the fastest-growing spirit type in November and year-to-date, while gin and premixed cocktails were the only types to register declines. Control states comprise nearly a quarter of total U.S. spirits sales by volume.
•Paso Robles, California-based Daou Vineyards has acquired neighboring Twilight Cellars—a 212-acre winery focusing on Rhone and Bordeaux varietals—for an undisclosed sum. Established in the early 1960s, Twilight Cellars is known for its Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines, which are generally priced at around $26.99-$36.99 a 750-ml. Daou Vineyards, meanwhile, was similarly planted in the 1960s and has a current portfolio of four wines—including its Daou Chemin de Fleurs (a white blend), Daou Celestus (a red blend), Daou Chardonnay and Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon—priced between $36-$56 a bottle and distributed in 42 states.
•Napa Valley winemaker Long Meadow Ranch is expanding with the creation of a 90-acre estate—including 74 acres planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvigon—in the Rutherford AVA. The new estate was formed through Long Meadow Ranch’s existing properties, two purchases and a “multi-party lot line adjustment,” the company said. The estate will now be among the largest in the Rutherford AVA. Chris Hall, Long Meadow Ranch’s executive vice president and general manager, says the group eventually will build a white wine production facility on the site. Long Meadow Ranch’s wines range in price from $20 for its Sauvignon Blanc up through $85 for its E.J. Church Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
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Tagged : ABI, control states
