US: Winemakers to roll out Yellow Tail competitors

The list of rather comical names for Australian wines in the US market looks set to continue with winemakers McGuigan Simeon and Southcorp both set to launch brands to compete with the success of the Yellow Tail brand.

McGuigan Simeon Wines has launched a Crocodile Rock label, which is apparently named after the Elton John song rather than Aussie outdoor personality Steve Irwin, famous for his crocodile and wildlife programmes. Meanwhile Southcorp is rolling out the Little Penguin range of Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot.

The wines are aimed at the non-traditional wine drinkers market, the companies have said, and, are seen as a direct result of the success of the Yellow Tail brand in the US market, which now has 35% of the Australian wine market in the US.

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