Rosé-tinted Spectaculars

Summer’s here, so rosé is leading Morrisons’ promotions. Who’d have thought that pink wine would be more popular in the north than the south?

The wine trade has been in the pink over rosé’s rise in popularity. The category leapt by more than 27% in volume and value in the UK last year (ACNielsen MAT to 16.04.05) and has actually been growing at over 20% a year for the past three years so that it now makes up a 5% share of the total wine market. We have seen new pink wines hit the shelves from as far afield as Australia, Chile and the US, as well as old favourites from France, Spain and Portugal, and some of the major retailers are taking advantage of the fact that the public is now thinking pink.

Morrisons is running a Drink Pink promotion from June 13 to October 10 featuring promotional offers on a range of pinks, including 70p off category godfather Mateus Rosé, to £3.29, and £1.50 off Californian Fetzer Syrah Rosé down from £5.99 to £4.49. Other pink promotions include Blossom Hill White Zinfandel, down 80p to £3.99, Weight Watchers Rosé, down to £3.49, and 70p off the memorably named Slinky Pink Malbec Rosé, down to £3.29. Other Morrisons offers (until June 12) include £1 off Banrock Station, £1.50 off Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay and Shiraz and £2 off Peter Lehmann Shiraz and Wolf Blass Chardonnay.

Australia is also top of the list for Somerfield’s light wine promotions, while the star offer has to be the £10 off Champagne E Michel NV to £9.99 from June 22 to July 5, though for those with less in their pocket there is Somerfield Asti Spumante, down 80p to £3.19. T

he Co-op, meanwhile, has a range of wines at half price, including Terramia Chianti Reserva, Marques de Monistrol Vintage Cava 2000, and Gallo Sycamore Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, all down from £7.99 to £3.99. Also, Chilean Luis Felipe Edwards Pupilla Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004 and Argentinean Las Moras Chardonnay Limited Edition 2004 are both down from £5.99 to £2.99.

Oddbins’ promotions from June 1 to July 4 focus mostly on multi-buy offers. Castel Syrah and Sauvignon are both on a twofor- £8 deal from their usual retail price of £4.99. Oddbins also has blanket offers of 20% off a bottle, 25% off three bottles or 30% off six bottles of a range of Australian wines including Penfolds Koonunga Chardonnay 2002, Peter Lehmann Cabernet 2001 and Semillon 2002, Wolf Blass Chardonnay 2003, Yellow Label Cabernet 2002 and President’s Selection Chardonnay 2003 and Shiraz 2000/01 – as well as a surprising BOGOF on The Gold Label Shiraz from its usual retail price of £19.99. New Zealand is not left out of the promotion and Montana Reserve Pinot Noir and Merlot are receiving the same treatment.

Could these other multiple specialists be following Thresher’s lead? Multi-buys are all the rage and Majestic is currently running a buy-any-three Champagnes or sparkling wines and save 33.3% promotion, ending on June 6.

For a bit of a change of scene we have decided to include Thresher in this month’s basket round-up, and don’t forget that for every two bottles you buy you get a third free. We take a look at the fizz category this month, and all that sparkles is not Champagne.