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Paul Chevalier, vice president and national fine wine direc-
tor for Shaw-Ross. “When we first started in the summer of
2007, I would say there were maybe ten rosé brands in the
U.S.,” he says. “We started on the East Coast, because that’s
the only place where people were really drinking rosé, mainly
in the Hamptons and Nantucket.” The business has since
expanded, but remains highly centered on consumption in
New York and neighboring states. Chevalier says there is
still significant growth to be had as higher-end rosés infil-
trate the broader U.S. market.
Provençal wine producer Charles Bieler is also spreading the
word about rosé from the region. Imported by Trinchero Family
Estates, Bieler Père et Fils grew 17.7% to 73,000 cases last year.
In April, Bieler embarked on a 20th anniversary Rosé Road Trip
across the U.S. to commemorate the start of his rosé business
in 1999, traveling to 40 cities in 60 days, and ending at the
Aspen Food & Wine festival this month. “The primary
goal of the tour was to remind consumers of the brand’s
long history and vineyard-driven approach that has set it
apart for the last two decades,” says Dave Derby, senior
vice president of marketing at Trinchero Family Estates.
Bieler Père et Fils maintains a suggested retail price of
under $14, far lower than many other rosés from the region.
Whispering Angel, for example, carries super-premium pric-
ing of about $25 a 750-ml. Last year, Château d’Esclans
launched a sister product, The Palm by Whispering Angel,
which is made from grapes from the Côteaux d’Aix-en-
Provence sub-appellation and has a suggested retail price of
$17. “It’s a different style, created for Generation Z,” says
Chevalier. “It’s a little more approachable and the price point
is a little lower, but it’s authentically from Provence, which
means dry, pale, and no sugar.”
Château Miraval also introduced a lower-priced line exten-
sion to its popular Miraval wine, which retails for $28. Studio
by Miraval rosé, also a Provençal wine, launched in March
with a price tag of $19 a 750-ml. “People are buying for differ-
ent occasions,” notes Gregory Doody, president and CEO ofleading domestic brands combined for a 72.2% increase in 2018,
according to Impact Databank, led by Bota Box from Delicato
Family Vineyards at 255,000 cases, which increased by 56.6%.
French rosés still have dynamic growth. Whispering Angel from
Château d’Esclans, marketed by Shaw-Ross International, is the
leader at 414,000 cases; the brand jumped by 33.5% in 2018.
Gérard Bertrand’s rosé from the Languedoc-Roussillon region had
even more dynamic growth, rising 42% to 223,000 cases. Overall,
the top 12 French rosés grew 29.2% to 1.58 million cases in 2018.French Connection
When Whispering Angel first hit the U.S. market a dozen
years ago, there was barely a rosé sector to build upon, recallsPROVENCE ROSÉ EXPORTS
TO THE U.S.—2008-2018
(millions of 9-liter case shipments)Calendar Years
Sources: CIVP and IMPACT DATABANK ©20190.250.500.751.001.251.501.752.002.25’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18French rosé offerings like Yes Way Rosé (founders Erica Blumenthal and Nikki Huganir above right) have cemented their place in the market.
At Chicago restaurant Maple & Ash (above left), customers often specifically ask for rosés from Provence, the category’s leading region by far.