Aventura, FL, February 1, 2021: Castello del Poggio, an Impact “Hot Brand” for the last five years and a 2020 Beverage Dynamics “Established Growth Brand,” is undergoing a major packaging change as the Zonin-owned property in Piedmont prepares to hit the million-case mark in the U.S. in 2021. U.S. consumers can expect to see the newly packaged wines starting this month, with the roll-out to continue through April (See bottle shots attached.)
“2020 depletions were up 30% over the previous year,” reports Shawn Balzano, National Sales Director at 1821 Fine Wine & Spirits, the Zonin family’s U.S. import arm. The Castello del Poggio line-up includes America’s favorite Italian Moscato, a DOCG Moscato d’Asti, a new delle Venezie DOC Pinot Grigio, an Extra Dry Prosecco, a Rosé, and two red blends: “Smooth Red” and “Templar’s Red.”
“The new packaging speaks clearly and directly to Castello del Poggio’s growing diversity of millennial and Gen Z consumers,” explains Mike Wolff, 1821 Fine Wine & Spirits’ Head of Consumer & Trade Marketing. Tasting notes are in English and Spanish. Back labels confirm that contents are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly. An easy-to-read sweetness/dryness scale has also been added.
Two offerings are undergoing a name change: The former Castello del Poggio Sweet Rosé is now “Castello del Poggio Rosé.” The Sweet Red Provincia di Pavia becomes “Smooth Red” – the latter a runaway success in the U.S., experiencing 50% growth in volume within the past year.
Shippers and merchandising materials now sport QR codes for seasonally updated content to keep the brand current.
Front labels feature delicately drawn flowers indicative of the primary aroma associated with each wine: orange blossom for the Moscato IGT, honeysuckle and orange blossom for the DOCG Moscato, French broom for the DOC Pinot Grigio, jasmine for the Prosecco, peach blossom for the Rosé, wild roses for the Smooth Red, and red peonies for the Templar’s Red. The floral theme continues in illustrated screwcaps for the premium high-shouldered bottles, exceptions being the prestige DOCG Moscato d’Asti 2020 and DOC Prosecco, both of which remain sealed with a classic cork closure.
A new Castello del Poggio website is also in the works and projected to go live later this spring.
Distributed by 1821 Fine Wine & Spirits, Aventura, FL
- Moscato Provincia di Pavia NV, IGT, $12
- Moscato d’Asti 2020, DOCG, $15
- Prosecco DOC Extra Dry NV, $15
- Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2019/2020, DOC, $12
- Rosé Veneto NV, IGT, $12
- Smooth Red Provincia di Pavia NV, IGT, $12
- Templar’s Red NV, $12
1821 Fine Wine & Spirits is an independent subsidiary of Zonin1821, the largest privately owned vine growing and winemaking company in Italy. The Zonin family portfolio includes nine wineries located in the seven most prestigious wine growing areas in Italy, as well as California, Argentina, South Africa, and New Zealand. The Zonin family is fully committed to practicing ecologically sustainable viticulture that ensures every bottle embodies the philosophy of preserving the local winemaking traditions, land, and culture of their respective regions. The 1821 Fine Wine & Spirits portfolio is distributed in all 50 states. For more information, please visit www.1821fws.com
Zonin, the largest privately owned vine-growing and winemaking company in Italy, is well-known in the U.S., thanks to such successful brands as Zonin Prosecco, Castello del Poggio (Piedmont), Castello di Albola (Tuscany), Masseria Altemura (Apulia) and Dos Almas (Chile). Two new portfolio additions are Land’s End from South Africa and three California wines under the 100 Nails Ranch label. All Zonin wines are imported and distributed in the U.S. by 1821 Fine Wine & Spirits.
