Among imported wines, the sparkling and rosé segments
dominated the evening, with both France and Italy fielding a
number of winners. Three French rosé-led brands—La Vieille
Ferme, Gérard Bertrand, and Château d’Esclans—earned Hot
Brand honors with double-digit growth. The largest of the three,
La Vieille Ferme, showed nearly 14% growth last year, reaching
509,000 cases. Also riding the rosé boom, Gérard Bertrand from
Languedoc-Roussillon hit 450,000 cases, up from 350,000 cases
last year. And Shaw-Ross International’s Château d’Esclans
depleted 420,000 cases, with a 33% surge in 2018.
The brand is primarily known for its Whispering
Angel rosé ($22), though it has extended its rosé
lineup in recent years with the higher-end Rock
Angel ($35) and The Palm ($15), in an effort to
reach consumers at several different pricing tiers.
Sparkling wines had a strong presence through-
out the Hot Brands list, with Prosecco or Prosecco-
led brands including La Marca, Mionetto, Ruffino,
Roscato, and Castello del Poggio leading the
charge. And elsewhere in the sparkling wine
space, Italian import Stella Rosa won its sixth
straight Hot Brand award, crossing the 2-million-case mark
last year for the first time with a growth rate of 26.4% last
year, finishing at 2.1 million cases. Stella Rosa earned the
distinction of being the largest-volume brand on the imported
wine Hot Brands list.
New Zealand also continued its hot streak, with Kim Craw-
ford, Oyster Bay, Matua, and Whitehaven among those ascend-
ing to the awards stage. Next year’s WSWA convention will
be held at Caesars in Las Vegas from April 20-23, 2020. mwJUNE 2019 | MARKETWATCHMAG.COM | MARKET WATCH 73Hot Brand party attendees mingled at the
Grande Lakes Orlando hotel on April 1. The
event honored 30 spirits brands, 24 domestic
wines, and 16 imported wines that achieved
Hot Brand status this year.