Italian Standout Stella Rosa Gaining Steam Among Imported Wine Leaders

After a three-year period in which it added nearly half a million cases in volume, Italy’s Stella Rosa has grown to become the U.S. market’s third-ranked imported wine brand above $10 a 750-ml., following Ruffino (Constellation) and Alamos (E.&J. Gallo). While overall shipments of imported wines to the U.S. were down 5.7% to 97.9 million cases in 2014, according to Impact Databank, Stella Rosa belongs to the above-$10 import segment that showed 4% depletion growth. Playing in the $10-$20 retail category, Stella Rosa advanced by 22% to 840,000 cases last year, and California-based owner and marketer Riboli Family Wine Estates tells SND it’s tracking a similar increase for 2015.

Specializing in semi-sweet and sweet taste profiles, Stella Rosa offers a collection of 15 frizzante and sparkling wines. The brand’s top seller is its original Rosso, a semi-sweet red wine meant to be served chilled. Its other fast-growing offerings include a Moscato Rosé, Prosecco and Black red blend. Stella Rosa’s most recent launch is Platinum, a semi-sweet white from Piedmont, which Riboli Family Wine Estates vice president Steve Riboli says is quickly gaining recognition.

“Semi-sweet wines have experienced a new level of consumer acceptance,” Riboli tells SND. “And premium Italian wines continue to grow as a category. The overall growth of all wines in the $10-$20 range is certainly helping, as is the strong U.S. dollar.”

Riboli Family Wine Estates is also looking to build on Stella Rosa’s success with its recent rollout of Diama’, a new premium Prosecco range. Produced in the northeastern Italian province of Veneto, the Diama’ lineup features a Diama’ Prosecco DOC and a Diama’ Rosé, the latter of which also includes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The pair, which are positioned to tap the current market strength in sparkling wines, are packaged in a diamond-inspired bottle and priced at $16.99-$18.99 a 750-ml.

Tagged : Alamos, Constellation, Diama', E.&J. Gallo, Riboli Family Wine Estates, Ruffino, Stella Rosa

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