Brand: Accolade Wines
Launch: Accolade Wines has launched two new travel retail exclusive wines for its Hardys and Mud House brands.
Details: Hardys Premium Selection, available in Shiraz or Chardonnay expressions, is listed with World Duty Free Group (WDFG) at its UK stores.
The Shiraz is said to offer tastes of rich plum and blueberry fruit complexed with dark chocolate, vanilla and clove spice, leaving an earthy finish. Described as “a fresh and lively wine”, the Premium Selection Chardonnay provides aromatics of melon and white peach, combined with notes of spicy oak.
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Hardys Premium Selection (left) and Mud House Hillside No.5 join Accolade’s travel retail portfolio of wines | |
Mud House Hillside No. 5, available at Auckland Airport with Aer Rianta, is exclusively sourced from the hillside blocks of Mud House’s Marlborough Vineyard. The Sauvignon Blanc is said to offer classic tropical, citrus and green bean flavours.
In other news, Accolade has announced the appointment of Essential Communications to handle its PR in travel retail.
Comment: Accolade Wines Commercial Director Rupert Firbank: “Travel retail plays a significant role in the development of our Hardys wine brand. The introduction of “˜The Premium Selection’ is another step in our mission to introduce travellers to the more premium and often undiscovered premium end of the Hardys portfolio. Wine in travel retail needs to appeal at a wide range of price points depending on location and passenger mix. Getting that message across is key for Accolade.”
Firbank continued: “We are very excited to be working with Essential Communications, the past two years has seen Accolade Wines greatly expand its travel retail business with very strong double-digit growth in each year. The category is gaining momentum, retailers are beginning to capitalise on the value of having a broad selection of branded wine in their stores, so we feel that this is the perfect opportunity to step up our investment in the industry, and PR is a brilliant way to do this.”
