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Gérard Bertrand Leverages Rosé To Fuel U.S. Expansion
June 8, 2023
Gérard Bertrand has been a driving force behind the wines of France’s Languedoc region, with the winemaker’s namesake label climbing 11% to 600,000 cases in the U.S. in 2022, according to Impact Databank. With a portfolio led by rosé but also including reds, whites, and sparklers, the Gérard Bertrand brand is now the third-largest French table wine label in the U.S. market in volume terms.
Rosé makes up 60% of Bertrand’s U.S. business, with the namesake offering rising 13% to 390,000 cases last year. Individual labels in the lineup include Source of Joy, Gris Blanc, and Cote des Roses. “Source of Joy is our organic rosé aimed at wine retailers and by-the-glass programs in restaurants,” Bertrand tells SND. The company is also showing strong growth with Hampton Water—a collaboration with Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse Bongiovi—which jumped 51% to 63,000 cases in 2022. And, at the high end, Bertrand is seeding growth with Clos de Temple, positioned just shy of $200 a bottle.
“France is the benchmark for rosé,” Bertrand explains. “We have the expertise, we have the sourcing, we have the quality, and we have the knowledge. People who want to follow, they will sell a little bit, like you can see with some California rosé, some Spanish rosé as well. But at the end, to compete with us, you need to develop the terroir effect, which takes time because you need the old vines, and also to develop consistency. That is why we have a real advantage.”
With the rosé business in double-digit growth, Bertrand is also stoking gains in other areas of the wine market. He recently rolled out a new organic label called Change, including Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc at around $20 a bottle, and has also introduced an orange wine brand called Orange Gold at retailers like Whole Foods and Kroger, as well as independent retail and on-premise.
“Orange wines continue growing in the U.S.,” Bertrand notes, adding that further expansion is likely as more consumers are educated about the category. Similarly, Bertrand has been breaking ground in sulfite-free wines with Naturae, another organic brand that’s now well-distributed stateside. Other key growth contributors in the portfolio lately include red blend Heresie as well as Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay varietals under the Cote des Roses label.—Daniel Marsteller
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