Rosé Leader Château d’Esclans Targeting Growth Across Multiple Price Points

After three straight annual declines by rosé wine shipments from Provence, 2022 exports to the United States rose 4% to 1.9 million nine-liter cases.  Import volume is still below pre-pandemic levels, but Provence rosé’s shipment value is higher now than in 2019, up to a new all-time high of €143.4 million ($151.1 million). Category leader Château d’Esclans, the Moët Hennessy-owned winery known for Whispering Angel, sees consumers continuing to enter both the brand and the category.

“Given the steady growth we’ve seen in the category, I expect we’ll continue to see the growth of French rosés, specifically Provence,” says Paul Chevalier, vice president of Château d’Esclans at Moët Hennessy USA. “While domestic-produced rosés from California and Long Island are gaining traction, Provence rosé continues to lead category sales and currently holds 63% of rosé share on Drizly,” he adds.

Whispering Angel remains the market leader, growing 1.1% to 570,000 cases last year, according to Impact Databank, and it’s now approximately three times the size it was in 2016. That total does not include portfoliomate The Beach by Whispering Angel ($18 a 750-ml.), which was introduced in 2022 as a rebrand of the winery’s entry-level rosé, previously known as The Palm. The Beach, like the Palm before it, is aimed at Millennial and Generation Z consumers entering the rosé category.

The rebranded wine is still sourced from the south of France and made from Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. The Beach comes with a focus on sustainability, featuring lighter glass and partnering with the Surfrider Foundation, an ocean preservation-focused non-profit. The no.-5 French rosé in the U.S. last year, The Beach grew 8% to 162,000 cases. “We wanted to offer an approachable introduction to Château d’Esclans’ portfolio, but with a forward-thinking approach and a precise message that speaks to the current state of the environment and the interests of our consumers,” notes Chevalier.

At the top end, d’Esclans is aiming to trade drinkers up to higher-priced offerings like Rock Angel. “We are also starting to see seeing a stronger movement toward our Rock Angel cuvée, due to today’s consumers acceptance of rosé as a more ‘serious and legitimate’ wine offering,” Chevalier observes.

With the increased demand in prestige rosé, Moët Hennessy made another move in the category in February, taking a majority stake in Provence estate Château Minuty, which includes the popular Minuty M Rosé, for an undisclosed sum.

Tagged : Chateau d'Esclans, Chateau Minuty, Moet Hennessy

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