McGuigan winemaker Australian Viintage launches Poco Vino wine packaging

McGuigan winemaker Australian Vintage, is backing a less is more type approach for wine with the launch of Poco Vino, a smaller but stylish packaging format.

Australian Vintage chief executive Craig Garvin. Picture: Wendy Chung

Australian Vintage, the winemaker behind the McGuigan and Tempus Two brands, is backing a less is more type approach for wine with the launch of Poco Vino, a new, smaller but stylish packaging format.

Poco Vino, which will hit shops in Australia and the UK this year, offers wines sources from France, Italy, the US and Australia in 187ml bottles, and Australian Vintage CEO Craig Garvin said there is already a buzz about the new concept.

“I just got back from the Paris wine show, and there is phenomenal excitement and reviews about it.

The stylish Poco Vino packaging.

“Poco Vino – means ‘small wine’ – that is the literal translation. It’s 187ml and is in a bottle that looks like a perfume or a premium olive oil bottle, it’s really stylish. It’s something you’d see the Kardashians drinking, perhaps, and we’ve partnered with the best technology company in the world on this, in Amsterdam. That’s where I was last week securing the deal.

“Think of what Nespresso did for coffee.

“It is cool and it’s stylish. This is approachable and it fits lifestyle. So, for example, we’ve just been ranged in Dubai duty free.

“Poco Vino pioneers a ‘make where sold’ wine sourcing model, utilising France and Italy for Europe, Napa for the USA and Australia for Asia Pacific driving significant cost efficiencies while aligning with consumers’ willingness to pay a higher price for convenience. Early orders are extremely encouraging and ahead of expectation.”

Mr Garvin also revealed that Australian Vintage had been keen to buy Treasury Wine Estates’ unwanted wine labels Wolf Blass, Yellowglen, Lindemans and Blossom Hill, but couldn’t justify the sale price demanded.

Mr Garvin said he put a bid in for all four of the brands and believed it would have made sense for Australian Vintage to control the assets, which would have allowed it to ramp up its volumes and find efficiencies at its plant in Mildura, in regional Victoria. But Treasury Wine last week said it would no longer seek to sell the wine brands as it couldn’t attract a sale price that it could justify.

Australian Vintage, which owns Nepenthe, wants to be part of industry consolidation.

Mr Garvin, who was ousted in a boardroom coup last year, only to turn the tables to oust the board and regain his role, said Australian Vintage would continue to play a part in the consolidation of the wine sector, which was plagued by an oversupply.

“We would like to be definitely growing and expanding through industry consolidation and natural brand growth,” Mr Garvin said after Australian Vintage posted a $473,000 half-year loss, from a profit of $2.78m in the previous corresponding period. Sales for the half fell 7.4 per cent to $126.1m. No dividend was declared.

The company is going through a painful restructure as well as facing a tougher trading environment.

Last year, Australian Vintage, attempted to merge with private equity-owned Accolade Wines to gain control of its portfolio of wines, including Hardys, St Hallett, Grant Burge and Petaluma. However the boardroom coup scuttled that deal.

Mr Garvin said he still believed Australian Vintage’s future would include merger and acquisition deals.

The winemaker reported that its market share was maintained in Britain and Australia/New Zealand, as white and sparkling growth offset declines in low-price reds. Australian Vintage was especially finding success in higher-margin white wines.

Originally published as McGuigan winemaker Australian Viintage launches Poco Vino wine packaging