Yao Ming, retired NBA player, owner of the Shanghai Sharks and humanitarian, established his own Napa Valley wine company: Yao Family Wines. The company released its inaugural wine, a 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, under the Yao Ming brand name in mainland China. Yao Family Wines has appointed Pernod Ricard China as the sole and exclusive importer and distributor of the brand in mainland China.
DFV Wines is re-launching its traditionally packaged Delicato brand into a new modern package called Domino. The change marks a shift toward innovation at DFV Wines and reflects the company’s steady growth, it says.
Save Me, San Francisco Wine Co., a collaboration between Underdog Wine & Spirits and Grammy Award-winning band Train, launched Calling All Angels Chardonnay.
With the wine and spirits industries continuing to showcase positive numbers, those in the industry maintain a positive outlook for the categories. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), Washington, D.C., released its 2010 Industry Review report in January that stated that spirits revenue was up 2.3 percent to $19.1 billion. The super-premium spirits category grew 10.9 percent in 2010 compared to a soft 2009, it says. The council also states that spirits gained just less than half a percent rising to 33.3 percent of the beverage alcohol market.
Healdsburg, Calif.-based Dry Creek Vineyard released its 2010 Fumé Blanc wine in newly designed bottles that incorporate QR code technology. Consumers with smartphones equipped with QR code readers can scan the image and be taken to a 2-minute video of the winery family discussing the new vintage. In addition to the QR code, the 2010 Fumé Blanc bottle features the image of a sailboat, which reflects the family’s passion for sailing.
Simply Naked, a brand of Constellation Wines U.S., is a line of unoaked wines designed to express the true varietal character of the wine without the influence of oak barrels. It accomplishes this by aging the wine in 100 percent stainless steel, the company says. The Simply Naked inaugural collection includes the 2010 vintages of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The biggest change to the retail environment in recent years isn’t something retailers have done; it’s the growth of shopper-driven mobile connectivity. Recent research indicates a large majority of consumers have used, or plan to use, quick response (QR) codes to get more information on products and access offers via their smartphones.