Exclusive: Constellation Targets Luxury Wine Tier With Saldo Brand

Since acquiring The Prisoner Wine Company from Huneeus Vintners for $285 million in 2016, Constellation Brands has successfully expanded the franchise at the wine market’s luxury tier, introducing new wines like a Napa Valley Cabernet and Carneros Chardonnay under the flagship Prisoner brand as well as the Unshackled lineup. Now, the company is launching another Prisoner Wine Company offshoot, Saldo, as its own brand, and expanding its range with two new wines.

Originally including a Zinfandel label, Saldo will now get a greater spotlight, and is being augmented with a red blend ($32) launching in October, to be followed later this winter by a Chenin Blanc. The red blend is composed of Petite Sirah, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel, sourced from California’s North and Central Coast regions. The brand’s name means “I join” in Italian.

According to Impact Databank, Saldo’s Zinfandel leapt 28% to 78,000 cases in the U.S. last year, more than doubling since 2017. “Saldo has contributed double-digit growth year over year since 2017,” says Bukky Ekundayo, general manager of The Prisoner Wine Company. “Launching Saldo as its own brand will build on this growth and further solidify The Prisoner Wine Company’s leadership in red blends.”—Daniel Marsteller

Tagged : Constellation, Saldo, The Prisoner, Unshackled

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