Historic Tuscan Estate Adds to Fast-Growing IGT Category
Tuscany, Italy (February 17, 2017) – Italy’s historic Castello di Gabbiano winery estate, located in the heart of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region, announced today the launch of its first vintage of Dark Knight, an IGT red blend. The inaugural bottling taps into the surging IGT Italian red wine category in the U.S., and it rounds out Castello di Gabbiano’s portfolio of classic Tuscan wines and innovative bottlings.
According to recent IRI data, the Italian Red Blend category saw an impressive 15% volume growth (19% value) over a 52-week period last year.* The IGT classification allows Italy’s winemakers to circumvent some of the country’s stricter winemaking rules to craft delicious, more contemporary wines. Some of Italy’s most prestigious wines fall under the IGT designation.
The 2015 Castello di Gabbiano Dark Knight IGT Toscana ($17), crafted by Tuscan-born winemaker Federico Cerelli, is an enticing blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese from estate and other premium vineyards in Tuscany. Bearing a dramatic image inspired by Castello di Gabbiano’s iconic symbol Il Cavaliere (the knight on horseback), the Dark Knight label offers a modern twist: Depicted in silhouette, the knight sits astride a rearing steed, with drawn sword ready for battle. The dynamic label evokes a sense of daring and excitement that taps in to consumers seeking an Italian wine drinking adventure that is both authentic and approachable. It further telegraphs Gabbiano’s winemaking philosophy, one that embraces time-honored Tuscan winemaking traditions coupled with modern innovation.
“We’re thrilled to introduce our new Dark Knight IGT Toscana to our customers and consumers alike,” said Sylvie Levesque, Vice President of Imports for Treasury Wine Estates. “Its price point fills a void in our wine lineup and gives consumers who appreciate history, travel and legend an opportunity to engage with Castello di Gabbiano. In research, our packaging concept over-indexed across all metrics, including likeability, purchase intent and uniqueness which are usually strong predictors of on-shelf success.”
Castello di Gabbiano was built in the 12th century, just south of Florence in the acclaimed Chianti Classico region, and is today the second largest vineyard owner in Chianti Classico. Castello di Gabbiano wines are marketed in the U.S. by Treasury Wine Estates. For additional information, please visit www.tweglobal.com or www.gabbiano.com. Please contact your local distributor for sales inquiries.
*Source: IRI Total US FDL 52 week 10-23-16
