On 17 July, Pernod Ricard announced the sale of 10 leading wine brands to the consortium of international institutional investors that now owns Accolade Wines. Last week, it announced the debut of Mumm Central Otago Pinot Noir, the first still wine release from the Champagne house’s international Terroirs collection.
This follows on from Campari, a traditionally spirits-only business, acquiring its first Champagne brand in 2022.
Drinks Trade reached out to both Campari’s and Pernod Ricard’s Australian Marketing Directors to discuss the relationship between still wine, spirits, and Champagne/sparkling within a portfolio.
“Campari’s positioning is very clear: we are a spirits business and Champagne complements our portfolio,” said Paolo Maronini. Campari’s Maison Lallier – which recently released its Réflexion R.020 – now forms part of Campari’s House of RARE portfolio.
“There is a reason why we play in Champagne, being a premium and super premium business, Champagne makes absolutely sense for us from a linear perspective. It is a natural fit for our on-premise partners and retail partners alike, who know us for our premium portfolio.”
Kristy Rutherford added, “we agree that champagne acts quite similarly to spirits. Our Champagnes, G.H. Mumm and Perrier-Jouët, are luxury products that consumers look to celebrate with and mark those special moments in life. They are often higher-energy occasions, that we also see spirits such a Jameson and Chivas enjoyed at as well.”
By comparison, Rutherford says fine still wines “like St Hugo and Church Road, certainly are used to mark milestones and memories but they are often enjoyed in a more relaxed dining environment. For Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and our broad wine portfolio, the moment to open a bottle of wine and enjoy with family and friends is often something we do as part of our daily lives rather than a special occasion.”
Moving forward, G.H. Mumm and Perrier-Jouët will remain a part of Pernod Ricard’s Martell Mumm Perrier-Jouët brand company, established in 2022.
“We saw a real strength in keeping the G.H .Mumm Masterbrand together, in order to grow and realise synergies across the brand portfolio,” said Rutherford.
“The recent announcement of the agreement to sell the international strategic wine brands will allow Pernod Ricard to further strengthen its premiumisation strategy and to direct its resources to its portfolio of premium international spirits and Champagne brands that drive the growth of its business.”
When asked, Rutherford said that the Central Otago Pinot Noir release shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as a step back towards still wine, and should be viewed as a natural continuation of the premium Mumm brand.
“The Mumm Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 is a reflection of the intent of the Mumm Terroirs Collection. It is a pioneering and innovative collection that celebrates prestigious wine regions known for producing exceptional pinot noir and showcasing this in each bottle. Each of the sparkling and fine wines in the series celebrate a region’s true sense of place and unique terroir,” she said.
The Central Otago Pinot Noir release also flags the question of whether Mumm Tasmania will experience any portfolio growth in the future. When asked what consumers should expect, Rutherford told Drinks Trade that “Mumm Tasmania has been a true success story, and we’re working with our partners on future supply options, including new vineyard developments to meet the demands of our customers and consumers.”
Another key factor differentiating the Australian Champagne market from that of still wine is the education and shopping habits of the average consumer. Overall, Australian Champagne consumers are considered highly educated, and have a tendency to explore the category.
“What we’ve noticed particularly in the Australian market, is a thirst for knowledge about Champagne,” said Marinoni.
“We feel that’s why Lallier is getting traction with the sommelier community, top tier restaurants, and through our partnership with Qantas. We are the exclusive champagne for the airline’s first-class lounges which is really putting Lallier on the map in this market.”
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