The 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 has launched a low-calorie range called "The Light Grape" in North America. The initial line-up includes chardonnay, rosé, a white blend and a red blend, each marketed at about 80 calories per standard glass and priced around US$12 a bottle.
According to the article, winemakers are responding to flat sales and recessionary conditions in key markets by targeting consumers who want lower-calorie, lower-alcohol options. The move aims to capture demand from drinkers looking for slimmer wine alternatives.
Accolade's "The Light Grape" is positioned at about 80 calories per glass and priced near US$12. Treasury Wine Estates' "Skinny Vine," released earlier, retails for about US$7–US$10 and contains roughly 86–95 calories per glass; its initial varieties include chardonnay, white zinfandel and moscato. The article also reports that Skinny Vine has sold around 100,000 cases.
Yes. The article notes that both Accolade Wines and Treasury Wine Estates have targeted the weight-loss group Weight Watchers as part of a marketing blitz to attract drinkers to their low-calorie wine ranges.
The article says Accolade Wines (described as formerly Constellation Brands) owns major-selling brands including Hardy's, Banrock Station, OMNI, Leasingham and Houghton. Last year it bought Californian brands Geyser Peak, Atlas Peak and XYZin from the 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.
From the article's facts: Treasury Wine Estates' Skinny Vine is priced at about US$7–US$10 a bottle, while Accolade's The Light Grape is around US$12. These price points, combined with calorie counts (about 80–95 calories per glass across ranges), set different value propositions for consumers in the US market and are likely part of each company's positioning to win share among health-minded drinkers.
The new low-calorie launches include chardonnay, rosé, a white blend and a red blend from Accolade's The Light Grape. Treasury Wine Estates' Skinny Vine includes chardonnay, white zinfandel and moscato, according to the article.
Based on the article, investors may want to watch sales volumes and consumer uptake of the low-calorie ranges (for example, Treasury's reported 100,000 cases sold), pricing strategies, marketing partnerships such as those with Weight Watchers, and how these initiatives perform in key markets like North America amid flat sales and recessionary conditions.
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