Skinnygirl cashes in on thirst for Moscato

Skinnygirl, the low-calorie wine and pre-mix cocktail brand founded by US reality TV star Bethenny Frankel, has added a Moscato to its line-up.

Skinnygirl Moscato is the newest addition to the Skinnygirl wine range

The brand, bought by spirits giant Beam Inc for $US8.1m in 2011, has added the low alcohol sweet wine to its range in a bid to capitalise on the growing thirst for the variety in the US.

According to Beam, the lightly sparkling Moscato boasts notes of “pear, peach and mango,” along with aromas of “tropical fruit and honey.”

The wines in the Skinnygirl range have only 100 calories per 5oz glass compared to an average of 123 calories found in non-diet wines.

Skinnygirl Moscato 2012 flags up its 100 calorie per 5oz status on the front label.

Along with the Moscato, three new cocktails have been added to Skinnygirl premix range: a mojito, grapefruit margarita and a white cherry vodka, priced at $14.99 per bottle for the mojito and margarita and  $21.99 for the vodka, which, according to its makers, boasts less than 77 calories per serving.

“The Skinnygirl range offers a variety of options for enjoying all the flavour without all of the guilt,” said Skinnygirl brand director Megan Frank.

Skinnygirl is one of the fastest-growing drinks brands on the market. Sales at the company were up 19% last year as the trend for low-calorie wines gathered momentum in the US.

Kanye West has helped boost sales of Moscato

Last March, Skinnygirl expanded from pre-mix cocktails into wine, adding three 12% abv low-calorie California wines – a Syrah blend, a Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio blend and a Grenache/Syrah rosé blend to its portfolio.

Skinnygirl is the brainchild of entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel, who appeared in American reality TV show The Real Housewives of New York City.

Last year, Moscato sales in the US hit a record high, up 33% in volume on 2011 with the variety now accounting for 6% of wines bought in US retail chains, where it is more popular than Sauvignon Blanc, according to the California-based Wine Institute.

Moscato’s profile has been boosted by name checks from RnB and hip-hop stars such as Kanye West, Ne-Yo, Lil’ Kim, Ab-Soul and Drake.

West was one of the first to elevate Moscato’s profile, mentioning the wine back in 2005 in the official remix of the song Make Her Feel Good by Teairra Mari.