Calistoga, Calif.-based Sterling Vineyards, a division of Treasury Wine Estates, is bringing a trio of wines to market in resealable aluminum bottles. The lineup is designed not only to improve convenience for consumers, but also to do so with the winery’s unique sense of style, it says.
The recyclable aluminum bottles feature a brushed texture in a tall, narrow, 375-ml size accented by a color cap keyed to the varietal and echoed by a color bar at the bottom of the bottle. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rosé from the Sterling California Vintners Collection are the initial offerings, which consumers have noted to be “sleek, modern and unique” according to Rob Knott, brand director for Sterling. The wines are line priced at $7.99.
The Sterling Aluminum bottles are expected to prove popular at sporting and concert events, grab-and-go convenience occasions in the retailer cold box, and with consumers looking for an alternative size option, it says. The 375-ml category is growing in double digits, with a 52 week increase of 54 percent in dollar sales and 35 percent in volume, according to IRI.
The aluminum bottles will be supported with an optional custom cap with an integrated straw, an end cap/table dispenser display that takes advantage of the bottles unique shape to feed the bottles as consumers remove them, and other tools including a “make your own” four-pack carrier and a clear plastic tote that can carry up to four cans with ice for picnics, the company says. An array of shelf talkers, case stackers, case cards in various sizes and neckers also are supporting the introduction.
In recent years, Sterling has undergone a transformation to incorporate “Sterling Style” in packaging often described as “Always Polished, Never Dull.” “It’s no surprise that we are bringing something different and very much in tune with what consumers expect from Sterling,” Knott said in a statement.