How do you reconcile your love of wine with your low carb diet? Try these great new wines.
The low carbohydrate lifestyle just got tastier. Brown-Forman Wines launched the first lower carbohydrate wine created for carb counters at the chic Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City on Tuesday. One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot are not only low in carbohydrates (carbs) but they also taste great.
"One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot are for those wine lovers who are carb-aware," said Cara Morrison, winemaker. "Our team of winemakers in Hopland, California, crafted two very distinctive wines that show you can enjoy a great-tasting glass of wine while still watching your carbs."
An estimated 59 million U.S. consumers are counting carbs today as a preferred way to diet. Approximately 84% of U.S. households are aware of low-carb diets and 36% are either currently on a low-carb diet or have been in the past. The introduction of One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot reflects that growing consumer trend.
The names One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot communicate the respective carb count of the wines. One.6 Chardonnay has 1.6 carbs per five-ounce glass and One.9 Merlot has 1.9 carbs per five-ounce glass. The names of these one-of-a-kind wines make it easier for consumers to keep track of their carb intake.
One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot are a result of careful grape selection, dry fermentation, and specific blending to maximize the grapes full flavor and produce a consistent low-carb count. The wines are analyzed along the way to ensure that they always deliver on both great taste and the lower carb promise.
"One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot give consumers exactly what they have been asking for – a low-carb wine that tastes great," said Andrew Varga, vice president and global brand director, Brown-Forman Wines. "It's a reflection of a powerful consumer trend and we are thrilled to be the first to address this opportunity in the wine industry to meet the needs of the 59 million Americans following the low-carb movement.
"One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot take a step away from traditional wine branding and allow consumers to participate not only in the wine category but the explosive low-carb trend as well," said Varga. "Everything from the name, number of carbohydrates, grape and wine selection, communications, and even the colors have been designed to accomplish the brand's consumer goal of meaningful differentiation from typical wine consumption."
One.6 and One.9 wines will be available in retail stores throughout the United States at a suggested retail price of $9.99 for a 750ml bottle. Major retailers and restaurants throughout the United States have already ordered more than 200,000 cases in less than two weeks. Among chains carrying the wines are Albertson's, Safeway, RiteAid, Target, and Walmart.
"We've already received unwavering support from our distributor partners, restaurateurs, and retailers," said Varga. "It's a testament to the strength of the low-carb lifestyle, the consumer differentiation of our offerings, and to the great taste of One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot."
One.6 Chardonnay and One.9 Merlot will be supported with an initial $5 million advertising campaign that is strongly focused on the consumer, as well as promotional activities and materials. Print advertisements will appear in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, and The New York Times, and major magazines and periodicals.
Brown-Forman Wines is a division of Brown-Forman in Louisville, Kentucky. It markets Korbel Champagnes, Fetzer Vineyards, Sonoma-Cutrer, Bonterra Vineyards, Mariah and Jekel Vineyards California Wines, Bolla and Fontana Candida Italian Wines, and Michel Picard Wines from France.
