Crown Cellars launches on-trade exclusive range to win over wine novices

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 19 April, 2016

Crown Cellars has launched a new range of on-trade exclusive, own label wines to appeal to new wine consumers.

Last August, Crown Wines had its sights set on beefing up its Spanish and Australia wine ranges as part of its annual range review.

This spring, it has launched a new collection using quirky labels and names in a bid to appeal to consumers who are looking for something different.

The company, which is the specialist wine and spirits division of Carlsberg UK, is hoping that the unusual names in collection, such Box of Budgies, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Clockwork Raven, a Chilean Merlot and an Argentine Malbec called Bone Orchard, will appeal to those that have been put off wine in the past due to stuffy and confusing wine labels and language.

Jonathan Pedley, Crown Cellars Master of Wine, said: "Our aim with these new wines is to bring new consumers in to wine and to encourage current wine consumers to trial new grape varieties, and new flavours through fun, appealing, contemporary packaging.

"The names and labels are designed to create stand out and compete not only with other wines but also other categories such as craft beer and cider who have done a fantastic job in bringing new consumers in with appealing language and marketing."

The collection has been put together by a team of experts including wine buyer Louise Boddington and Jonathan Pedley MW.

Box of Budgies Sauvignon Blanc expresses pear, kiwifruit and sage notes, while Clockwork Raven is more plummy and fruit foward.

The Malbec grape is known for the deeply coloured wine it produces, which is evident in the full-bodied Bone Orchard from Argentina.

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