Pernod Ricard has brought Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Matured wine to the UK, marking the most premium launch from the brand in 16 years, following 2000’s introduction of the Reserve range.
The newly launched wine, which made its debut in Australia in July 2014, is a premium red shiraz made with “high-quality fruits” that has been matured in oak barrels, before being finished in aged whisky barrels to create a rich and deep flavour (rsp: £12.99).
It is being rolled into Sainsbury’s this week, with other major retailers expected to list it later this year, Pernod Ricard told The Grocer.
The double-barrel method “pushed the boundaries” of winemaking, said Toni Ingram, head of marketing for wine & Champagne at Pernod Ricard.
“It imparts additional layers of complexity, beautifully integrated tannins, and an incredibly smooth mouthfeel,” she said, claiming the Australian launch of Double Barrel had marked the first time in the world a “leading global” wine brand had used the method. “It is a complex process that took us two years to perfect.”
The wine would tap the trend for drinking less but trading up to more premium wines, added Ingram. Pernod Ricard hoped the new wine would prove “as successful” in the UK as it had in Australia, and Canada, where it had been launched subsequently, with “strong sales” recorded for both countries, she said.
The tipple sits above the Reserve range in Jacob’s Creek’s portfolio, which comprises Sun Craft (rsp: £6), Classic (rsp: £8.15), Reserve (rsp: £10.45) and the Heritage Collection (rsp: £16 plus).
Pernod Ricard is supporting the UK launch with digital and social media activity designed to highlight the wine’s “unique finishing process”.
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