Charge of the light wine brigade
The move comes after rival Treasury Wine Estates, owner of Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Rosemount Estate, released its own low-calorie wines in the US in January, reportedly selling 100,000 cases already.
Facing flat sales and recessionary conditions in its key markets, winemakers have recently locked onto consumers looking for a slimming wine product that's low in alcohol
Accolade Wines, formerly Constellation Brands and owner of some of the biggest-selling brands in the world including Hardy's, Banrock Station, OMNI, Leasingham and Houghton, will launch its low-calorie wines in North America this month.
Under the brand "The Light Grape" and priced at $US12, the wines will contain about 80 calories per standard glass. Initially there will be chardonnay, rosé, a white blend and a red blend.
Treasury Wine Estates' Skinny Vine label retails for $US7 to $US10 a bottle for a chardonnay, white zinfandel and moscato. It has 86 to 95 calories per glass.
Interestingly, both Accolade Wines and Treasury Wine Estates have targeted weight-loss group Weight Watchers in a marketing blitz to win over drinkers.
Last year Accolade Wines bought Californian brands Geyser Peak, Atlas Peak and XYZin from failed US group Ascentia for $40 million. It sold the Geyser Peak winery and vineyards to Francis Ford Coppola Winery, but kept the brand.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Accolade Wines is launching a low-calorie wine range in North America called "The Light Grape." According to the article, the range includes chardonnay, rosé, a white blend and a red blend, and is being marketed as a slimming, lower-alcohol wine option.
The Light Grape wines are reported to contain about 80 calories per standard glass and are priced at about US$12 per bottle, based on the article's details about the US launch.
The article notes that Treasury Wine Estates' Skinny Vine retails for roughly US$7 to US$10 per bottle and contains about 86 to 95 calories per glass for varieties like chardonnay, white zinfandel and moscato. By contrast, Accolade’s The Light Grape is priced around US$12 and is said to have about 80 calories per glass.
The article says winemakers are responding to flat sales and recessionary conditions in key markets by targeting consumers looking for slimming, lower-alcohol wine products. Both companies are trying to capture demand from drinkers focused on lower-calorie options.
Yes. The article states both Accolade Wines and Treasury Wine Estates have targeted the weight-loss group Weight Watchers as part of a marketing push to reach consumers interested in lower-calorie wine options.
The article lists Accolade Wines as owner of big-selling brands including Hardy's, Banrock Station, OMNI, Leasingham and Houghton (and notes it was formerly Constellation Brands). Treasury Wine Estates is identified as the owner of brands such as Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Rosemount Estate.
Yes. The article reports that last year Accolade Wines bought Californian brands Geyser Peak, Atlas Peak and XYZin from failed US group Ascentia for US$40 million. It sold the Geyser Peak winery and vineyards to Francis Ford Coppola Winery but kept the Geyser Peak brand.
According to the article, the initial The Light Grape lineup will include chardonnay, rosé, a white blend and a red blend—positioned as low-calorie, lower-alcohol choices for US consumers.
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