ROSÉ CONTINUES TO ROCK

Rosé wines have been on an incredible roll for the last few years and they show no sign of slowing down. According to Nielsen numbers, US retail sales of imported rosés priced $12 and above shot up 26.4% by volume and 22.8% by value in the first half of the year, compared to 1.6% and 4%, respectively, for the total US table wine market. This increase comes on the heels of a 26% jump in value for the year 2O11, and extends imported rosé’s double-digit growth trend to more than eight straight years. In addition, the average price per bottle sold in this category remained above $15. “This price point reflects American consumers’ continuing appreciation for premium rosé, a segment in which Provence is the leader,” said Julie Peterson of the Provence Wine Council’s US trade office. Provence, the oldest winegrowing area in France, is the world’s only wine region that specializes in rosé wine. Exports to the United States grew 62% in volume last year as compared to 2O1O, and have grown at double-digit rates each year since 2OO3. Pink is the way to drink!