By Amy Looker
Australian Vintage Limited (AVL) has developed two new wine brands under its McGuigan label in conjunction with Independent Brands Australia (IBA) and Coles Liquor Group.
IBA has commenced selling the McGuigan Reserve range in over 1100 outlets nationally, while Coles has launched the McGuigan Classic range into its First Choice stores.
Cameron Ferguson, AVL’s general manager for Australasia and North America, said that the launch of tailored “sub-brands” gives both retailers a “unique branded proposition they can own across the market, supported with the know-how and reputation of a successful international brand”.
Ferguson told TheShout: “There is a desire for retailers to create new brands. The benefit they get by doing this with a known brand like McGuigan is they get real wines and real winemakers behind the products."
“The positive for us is that the retailers actually want to partner with us to do this because our brand is enjoying above average category growth – last quarter McGuigan was up 30 per cent – and we’re aggressively out-growing the rest of the category. When you look at the growth of our wines and you tie into that all of the awards that we’ve been winning, it’s perfect timing for the perfect partnership.”
The IBA range, McGuigan Reserve, will be sold in the group’s Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O and IGA Liquor outlets with an RRP of $15.99.
The range includes a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and a Shiraz Cabernet with the fruit sourced from select vineyards in South Australia.
The Coles range, McGuigan Classic, includes a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, and a Cabernet Sauvignon and has an RRP of $11.99, which is priced slightly higher than McGuigan’s Black Label range.
The McGuigan brand has been the recipient of a recent string of international awards, including being recognised as White Winemaker of the Year for the second time in four years at the prestigious International Wine Challenge.