Wine with cola in the same drink? Chardonnay mixed with vanilla? It’s coming soon to a Harris Teeter near you.
Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., which entered the Washington region when it agreed to purchase Harris Teeter in 2013, has signed a deal with Sonoma County, California-based Truett-Hurst Inc. to exclusively sell its ready-to-drink craft wine beverages. Kroger — the nation’s largest operator of traditional supermarkets — will sell the drinks, which are offered in cans under the California Winecraft name.
Kroger operates 2,640 grocery stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia. In the Washington area, the Kroger banner is carried by Harris Teeter at its two dozen locations stretching from Manassas, Virginia to Columbia, Maryland. But there are more D.C. area locations in the works. In May, Kroger’s Chief Financial Officer indicated that the chain wanted to open more Harris Teeter stores in the D.C. market. Developer activity has already proven that. New Harris Teeter stores on the way to The Yards in Capitol Riverfront and rapidly redeveloping downtown Bethesda.
What’s a ready-to-drink craft wine beverage? It involves a blend of natural flavors used to create classic wine-based drinks. Calfornia Winecraft has its versions of Sangria, Calimocho and wine spritzers.
Take the wine with cola combination. Everyone we talked to who drinks wine thought it sounded odd and never heard of it. But it’s basically a popular Spanish drink called Calimocho that the New York Times described as “favored by Spanish youth looking for a sweet, cheap buzz.” California Winecraft calls it Sonoma Brew.
Its other wine-based beverages to be released in Kroger stores are: Mataro’s Punch, which is red wine and fruit juice like Sangria; NorCal Squeeze, a white wine spritzer consisting of sauvignon blanc, lemon and lime; and Chateau Vanille, a mix of chardonnay and vanilla that California Winecraft calls “a new classic – Adult Cream Soda.”
The launch capitalizes on a trend for Kroger (NYSE: KR) shoppers.
“Our shoppers have been favorably responding to innovation in adult beverages and we believe that California Winecraft’s products will provide new flavor and packaging alternatives for our customers,” Allan Cook, Kroger’s coordinator of category management – adult beverage exclusive brands, said in a news release.
One problem for adventurous wine drinkers: These products won’t be available until spring. Try to be patient.
