Interview, Part 2: Toby Whitmoyer, President, Washington, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

In the second part of our interview, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates president, Washington, Toby Whitmoyer details new products from the 7-million-case wine player, and discusses marketing to the younger generation of consumers.

SND: How have Ste. Michelle’s most recent innovations fared so far in the market?

Whitmoyer: We’re listening to our consumers and customers and taking steps to bring them what they want. We’ve had great success with our relatively new to the market brand, Liquid Light, with sales up 40% versus the prior year (last year Liquid Light had volume of 71,000 cases, according to Impact Databank). Our Liquid Light wines from Washington are full flavor wines sourced from the cooler sites in the Yakima Valley. They have only 95 calories and less than 1 gram of sugar per 5-ounce serving.

We also recently launched our Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Riesling and Indian Wells Rosé. Both of these wines are positioned in the $15-$20 price segment and have been extremely well received by the trade and our consumers.

SND: What’s next on the new product front?

Whitmoyer: One of our upcoming new offerings that we’re particularly excited about is Chateau Ste. Michelle Light, a lower-alcohol and lower-calorie expression of our flagship Columbia Valley wines. We’ll launch both Chateau Ste. Michelle Light Chardonnay and Chateau Ste. Michelle Light Sauvignon Blanc early in 2024.

Next year, we’re also launching our 14 Hands Sweet Red Blend and our 14 Hands Buttery Chardonnay. With these innovations we aim to deliver the enjoyable wines that our current consumers have come to expect while also attracting the next generation of adult wine drinkers, many of whom are looking for a greater diversity of wine styles and flavors.

SND: What marketing moves are you making to connect with that next generation?

Whitmoyer: Innovation isn’t just about delivering great new wines, but also about engaging with the next generation in new ways through their passion points. Chateau Ste. Michelle has been hosting summer concerts at our winery amphitheater for almost 40 years. We decided to extend our reach and impact by creating a national sponsorship with Live Nation, the leader in live music, and we’re now the Official Wine Sponsor of Live Nation’s 78 venues and four of their leading music festivals. Through experiential activation at these concerts, we’re inspiring consumers to pair great wine with great music, and we’re amplifying our approach to millions more via social media. We’ve also partnered with our on- and off-premise retailers across the country to highlight the sponsorship at the point of purchase.

Tagged : 14 Hands, Liquid Light, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

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