France: World’s first cola-flavoured wine launched

(TheDrinksBusiness) - French wine company Haussmann Famille has launched the world’s first cola-flavoured wine onto the market.

Named Rouge Sucette (meaning red lollipop in French), the 9% abv wine, designed to be served chilled, is made from 75% grapes and 25% water, sugar and cola flavouring.

“The result is surprising; the balance between the bitterness of the wine and the sweetness of the cola is perfect,” says Pauline Lacombe, Haussmann Famille’s marketing director.

Unveiled at Vinexpo last week, the wine is targeting the “Coke generation” of younger drinkers as a way of easing them into the wine category.

It also hopes to attract women and sweet-toothed Asian consumers.

Rouge Sucette Cola goes on sale throughout France next month priced at €2.95 a bottle and is currently being considered for a listing by UK supermarket Sainsbury’s.

Haussmann Famille already make a passion fruit-flavoured rosé and white wine.

The French are developing a thirst for flavoured wines – according to industry estimates, 30 million bottles will be sold in the country this year, up 50% on 2012.

Sweet wines are also driving sales in the US, with sweet red blends continuing to make headway and Moscato now accounting for 6% of volumes sales in the country, up 33% year-on-year.

Across the pond, sugar consumption in Britain is up 31% since 1990, with the average person scoffing 700g of sugar a week.