Distell new range targets on-trade

By Arabella Mileham

Published: 04 March, 2015

South African wine company Distell has launched its limited edition Nederburg Heritage Heroes range into the UK as it pushes its on-trade business.

The range of five wines are available exclusively from Matthew Clarke and comprises two red wines - a 2011 Rhone-style blend, and a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, a 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, a 2012 Chenin Blanc and a 2012 single-vineyard Gew?rztraminer. The names are inspired by former winemakers and personalities and include The Motocycle Marvel, The Brew Master, The Young Airhawk, The Anchorman, and The Beautiful Lady.

Sarah Gandy, Distell international marketing manager for Wine in the UK and Europe said the premium wines focussed on innovation and were intended to be particularly appealing to food enthusiasts. "They will initially be targeted at fine dining establishments in the on-trade and we are already proud to have listings at the new Marco Pierre White restaurant opening at The Threadneedle hotel," she said.

The move is part of the company's ongoing strategy to grow its overall on-trade wine sales and rebalance the proportion of wines sold in the off-trade in the UK, which currently make up around 90% of its UK sales.

Speaking to Harpers last year,DVE's chief executive Carina Gous said the reality of the exchange rate made value growth more important than volume and it was important to sell thorough the right channels. "Having 90% of-trade vs 10% on-trade is not making sense so we need to reverse that trend and look to drive value," she said."Low price points are not sustainable."

Carina Gous, chief executive officer of Distell Vineyards and Estates

South African wine had seen a significant step up in quality but the country was traditionally not well represented at higher price points in the UK, she added.

The company's portfolio of premium wines targeting the on-trade include Heritage Heroes, Ingenuity and II Centuries in the on-trade.

The Heritage Heroes range was first launched in 2012 and is now available in Germany, Norway, Finland, the USA, Dubai, Singapore and Taiwan.