New Age Leads The Way For Wines In A "Cocktail Culture"

NAPA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In the summer of 2006, fine wine importer Quintessential introduced an effervescent white blend of Torrontes and Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina – and, thinking "outside the box," proceeded to pour it over ice in a rocks glass with a finishing squeeze of lime. With this unorthodox presentation "The Tincho" was born.

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New Age is made by Bodega Valentin Bianchi, one of the oldest, still-family-owned wineries in Argentina, dating back to 1928.  When Stephen and Dennis Kreps (father and son co-owners of Quintessential) visited Argentina in 2006 and discovered how owner Valentin Eduardo Bianchi was enjoying the wine (on-the-rocks with fresh-squeezed lime juice), they felt his "wine cocktail" would be an effective way to creatively market New Age in the US. As Valentin's childhood nickname is "Tincho" (a term of endearment that means "young Valentin"), they decided that it was the perfect name for this fun South American drink.

For the past six years, Quintessential salespeople all over the country have been demonstrating and promoting "The Tincho" to distributor salespeople, retailers, wine buyers, sommeliers and restaurateurs. As important, they have been introducing it to the public via in-store tastings and at myriad wine sampling events.

Little by little, this grassroots effort took hold and the brand steadily grew in sales and awareness, to the point where, according to Nielsen data, it was the top-selling Argentine white wine in the US in 2010. It has been a "Fast Track" brand two years in a row (according to beverage industry sales tracker, Beverage Information Group), with sales of more than 124,000 cases in 2011, and over 10% sales increases every year. That same year, New Age was named a "Hot Prospect Brand" in top industry trade newsletter, Impact. 

Capitalizing on this success and the growing popularity of sweet red wines, Quintessential is debuting New Age Red, an effervescent blend of the Italian grape Bonarda with Malbec that has a fresh, "just picked" cherry and raspberry flavor, with aromas of roses and violets rounding out the nose. It is delightfully refreshing served well-chilled on its own, and is a great accompaniment to spicy, savory and sweet foods. 

The Kreps family can point proudly to the fact that they have been "ahead of the curve" in marketing New Age White, resulting in this wine becoming a large part of the company's overall success. 

According to Dennis Kreps, "Consumers admire the clear bottle with the modern art image of a mysterious Argentine woman visible through the bottle and often describe the wine inside as 'remarkably refreshing,' 'sweet but not cloying' and 'tasting, surprisingly, like fresh fruit.'  We believe they will voice the same opinions about New Age Red."

Stephen Kreps, Jr., who heads Quintessential's California distribution company and has been in the forefront of New Age promotion, says, "The re-emergence of a 'cocktail culture,' especially among today's younger wine and spirits consumer, coincided with New Age's popularity. Our efforts to differentiate it from the competition by highlighting and continually reinforcing its 'mix-ability,' coupled with its eye-catching package and the quality of the wine inside, have made New Age a 'must carry' in many retail outlets.  You could say that the market has finally caught up to New Age."       

He adds, "The New Age label enjoys enough of a 'recognition factor' among consumers that we believe fans of the White and Rose will be happy to find our 'mysterious Argentine woman' in a fun red blend."  New Age Red will have the same "value price" as New Age White and Rose, at $11.99.   All Bodega Valentin Bianchi wines, including the New Age line, are imported exclusively in the US by Quintessential (www.quintessentialwines.com).

SOURCE Quintessential