McGuigan to take on Prosecco in the UK

McGuigan Wines is launching a sparkling Semillon to take on Prosecco in the UK market.

McGuigan is planning to take on Prosecco with a £7.99 “extra dry” Frizzante

Called McGuigan Frizzante, the new product has been created “to take on our friends from Italy,” joked Neil McGuigan, during a meeting with the drinks business earlier this year.

Continuing, he said that the sparkling wine “was made in the Prosecco style but from a far superior grape: Semillon, which has more palate length and flesh.”

When McGuigan Frizzante officially launches at the London Wine Fair in May this year it will mark the first sparkling Semillon to hit UK shores.

UK general manager of the company Julian Dyer added that the new product would have a “similar alcohol and sugar level to Prosecco”, and reiterated that Semillon “was a better variety than Prosecco to make sparkling wine from” – “because Semillon gives you a mineral structure to balance the sweetness”.

However, he added McGuigan Frizzante would not feature Semillon on the label, explaining that “less is more with sparkling”.

Notably, the sparkling wine, which will launch with an RRP of £7.99, is sealed under screwcap.

Speaking generally about the UK sparkling wine category, Dyer said, “The sparkling market has moved from a treat to an everyday drink.”

Continuing, he observed, “Prosecco dominates the category because it is a style of sparkling that is in tune with the consumer.”

To compete, Dyer said that Australia would need to perfect the style and presentation of its sparkling wines, as well as achieve the same price points.

“With McGuigan Frizzante we will compete with Prosecco on price and presentation, and although our style will be slightly different, it will still be about softness.”

McGuigan Wines’ parent company, Australian Vintage, will exhibit at stand W35 this year’s London Wine Fair and will be presenting its core product portfolio from McGuigan, Tempus Two and Nepenthe wines, as well as the new McGuigan Frizzante.