UK: Mateus adds sparkling rosé to wine line

Mateus Rosé, the rosé wine brand distributed in the UK by First Drinks Brands, has launched a non-vintage Sparkling Brut Rosé in time for the summer. 

The new addition is "the first ever sparkling rosé wine from Portugal to be marketed in the UK", the company said.

Launching to the trade this month, the Sparkling Brut Rosé is packaged in a Champagne-style bottle and closure, with a "contemporary and stylish" silver and black design, and is made mainly from the Baga grape, the "most widely planted varietal" in the Bairrada region of Portugal.

"Mateus has an incredibly strong identity and is recognised for being a leader in innovation within the rosé market," said Anthony Habert, senior brand manager for Mateus at First Drinks Brands. "With both rosé and sparkling categories in growth, the time is right to complete the Mateus portfolio and bring the company's acknowledged expertise in rosé to consumers with a new sparkling variant."

The new sparkling wine has a "soft pink colour with fine bubbles and pleasing aromas of apples, pears and raspberries to provide an aromatic and delicate finish".

Mateus Rosé Sparkling will be on sale from July.

"Mateus has an extremely loyal consumer following and our research tells us that this new sparkling variant will attract new consumers into the sparkling category through the brand's rosé heritage, the quality of the wine and the appeal of the packaging," added Habert.