Malbec sales at Tesco up 200%

Sales of Argentine Malbec have soared 200% in the last year at UK supermarket Tesco as the British public’s unquenchable thirst for the inky grape gathers pace.

There’s no “I” in team

Volumes sales of single varietal Malbec were up 200% across the UK chain between 1 April 2013 and 1 April 2014 compared to the same period the year before.

“It would seem that the British wine drinker has begun to discover the delights of Malbec,” Tesco product development manager Graham Nash said.

“Wines of Argentina has done a great job marketing Malbec and its many virtues over recent years, and alongside its increasing availability in retailers and on wine lists, the result has been a growing familiarity amongst consumers,” he added.

The Trilogy Malbec

To meet rising consumer demand for Malbec, Tesco added The Trilogy Malbec to its Finest* range last month priced at £12.99.

Today marks the fourth annual Malbec World Day, with celebrations dedicated to the velvety red grape kicking off around the globe.

Malbec lovers are being urged to share Instagram photos and videos of them enjoying a glass using the hashtag #MalbecWorldDay.

Last year, 106 events dedicated to the grape took place in 76 cities across the world, including London, Buenos Aires, San Pablo, Lima and New York.

Sales of Argentine wine are up 20% in the UK off-trade, with the strength of “brand Malbec” helping to fuel the fire.

Argentina is currently the most popular wine country among 25-35 year old consumers in the UK with sales particularly strong among Millennial males.

In the last five years, shipments of Argentine Malbec to the US have more than doubled from 1.9 million cases in 2008 to four million in 2013.

In a similar vein to the “Moscato madness” boom, Malbec has recently put down roots in Chile, Australia, the US and New Zealand, with other countries keen to sample a slice of its success.

For an in-depth look at the international success of “brand Malbec”, click here.