Sales of Premium-Priced Rosé Wines Up 45%

Pink Wine Gains New Respect Among Wine Connoisseurs

June 14, 2007, Schaumburg, IL:  Sales of premium-priced rosé wines have shot up 45% in the past year, according to new data from The Nielsen Company, making the $6 and over segment of this varietal one of the hottest emerging growth segments in all table and sparkling wine.

"It used to be that pink wine meant white zinfandel or generic jug wines," said Brian Lechner, Director of Client Service, Nielsen Beverage Alcohol. "That is rapidly changing. The phenomenal growth in higher-priced rosé wine over the past year tells us that this segment is finding a sophisticated new audience."

For the 52 weeks ending March 10, 2007, rosé table wines accounted for more than $9.0 million in sales in food, drug and liquor stores, up +45% from the previous year, a significant lead over the +8% increase for the overall table wine category. Sparkling rosé wines showed similar trends, up +40% compared to +4% for all sparkling wine.
There were 28 new brands of premium rosé wine introduced in 2006, nearly twice as many as the 15 brands launched in 2005. Top-selling rosé wines are also much more diverse in their country of origin than premium-priced chardonnays, cabernets and merlots. Six of the most popular rosés are from France, two are American, and the remaining two are from Spain and South Africa, as compared to the other popular varietals, for which at least eight of the top 10 are produced in the US.

"Consumers are seeking new experiences as wine consumption continues to grow and mature, and many in the wine press are recognizing and heralding the emergence of premium rosés as a refreshing alternative to mainstay varietals," Lechner said. "People willing to spend more than the average price for wine tend to be more serious wine connoisseurs, and this tremendous marketplace response to premium-priced rosé demonstrates a willingness to experiment across wine types. These trends indicate lots of upside to expand premium rosé consumption going forward."

About The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek), trade shows and the newspaper sector (Scarborough Research). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.