|
|
|
What’s the most significant
growth sector in the wine market? Pinot Noir, Chile, Sauvignon Blanc? No, it’s
animals it seems. Labels featuring furry critters are doing amazingly well.
Martin will discuss the phenomenon and taste a few examples on the Moncrieff show on Friday May 5th at after the 3.30pm news. What’s your favourite
animal? Chances are it features on a wine label. Cats dogs, horses, frogs,
hippos, elephants, eagles, wombats and kangaroos are all out there somewhere, so
now you can drink as well as look at and stroke your favourite. Research in the USA has
revealed that labels featuring an animal are flying. “The
sales generated by new brands featuring a critter outperform other new table
wines by more than two to one,”
said Danny Brager, vice president of Nielsen's Beverage Alcohol Team. I suspect
Ireland isn’t that different. Seems
that modern consumers want wine to be soft, cuddly and approachable, as pictures
of chateaux, vineyards or gothic script just don’t mean anything to them.
Yellow Tail is the most obvious example of the trend but there are many more.
‘Little Penguin’ is going ‘gangbusters according to one winemaker I met in
Australia who supplies wine to the brand owner. It’s a throwback in many ways
to the original Australian invasion in 1979/80 featuring Kanga Rouge &
Wallaby White. Along
with something furry the crucial ingredient is usually sugar. These wines are
not usually dry. They need to be bland if they are to appeal to a novice wine
drinker frightened by the idea of vineyards and chateaux. As cheap sweet wines
are my least favourite style we’ll be trying the following dryer styles live
in the studio, but the labels can be termed cute and should appeal to the inner
vet or zoo keeper in you. From Marks and Spencer we have Le Froglet Chardonnay 2005 at €7.25, an oaky, almost Australian style wine (85pts)) and a much better and more expensive Rhone Ranger style Clos de Reynard 2004 at €15 (88pts) from California made by wacky winery Bonny Doon plus the Fat Bastard Shiraz (about €13 and 86pts) featuring a hippo on the label from the Wine & Beer Warehouse Stillorgan and Brechin Watchorn in Ranelagh. * Credit to Ernie Whalley for the headline. Listen
live to news talk 106fm
|
|
|
Wine Reviews | Wine of the week
| Free Run |
Events | Articles |
