Martini Adds New Tier Of Upscale Vermouths

Bacardi Ltd.’s Martini vermouth brand is adding a higher-priced tier to its range in the U.S. market. Martini’s new Riserva Speciale vermouths, including a Rubino (Ruby) and Ambrato (Amber), will roll out this fall, targeting the on-premise cocktail segment as well as selected retail accounts. Both new entries are 18% abv—slightly higher than the core brand’s 16%—and will be positioned at roughly $15 a 750-ml., or about a 50% premium to Martini’s core range, which includes Rosso, Extra Dry and Bianco offerings.

Martini’s Riserva Speciale vermouths are differentiated by their use of 100% Italian wines—Langhe DOC Nebbiolo for the Rubino and Moscato d’Asti DOCG for the Ambrato—and a mix of botanicals that has been married in Piemontese “Tino” vats for two months. In an effort to further elevate vermouths from the Piemonte region, Martini master blender Beppe Musso tells SND that the company is currently campaigning for geographical indication status for Vermouth di Torino, with production rules aligning with those of the new Riserva Speciales.

Martini vermouth was down 3% to 440,000 cases in the U.S. market in 2014, according to Impact Databank. Martini sparkling wines, meanwhile, grew 6% to 515,000 cases in the U.S. last year.

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Tagged : Bacardi Ltd., Martini

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