Month: February 2023

The world of prestige rosé is consolidating. Moët-Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH, has purchased a majority stake in the fast-growing Provence estate Château Minuty.

Fourth-generation owners Jean-Etienne and François Matton will remain at the helm of the winery their family founded in Saint-Tropez in 1936. Minuty is credited with helping establish the classic pale pink, aromatic style of Provençal rosé that has become the gold standard, and with fueling the explosive popularity of dry pink wine. Today, Minuty is the best-selling premium rosé in France (premium is classified at more than €15 per bottle).

In the Moët Hennessy portfolio of luxury wine labels, Minuty joins rosé winery Château d’Esclans, producer of Whispering Angel. The French conglomerate became the majority owner of that estate back in 2019, joining forces with founder Sacha Lichine, and the alliance has proven highly successful.

“Since we entered into the partnership with Sacha Lichine on Chateau d’Esclans, the business has literally doubled, and we have no doubt that the growth will continue and that we can expand this success to Minuty,” Philippe Schaus, chairman and CEO of Moët Hennessy, told Wine Spectator.

How does Minuty’s Matton family feel about being under the same umbrella as another leading prestige rosé? “We do not see ourselves as direct competitors because we serve different customer bases,” said François Matton. “Château d’Esclans is the leading Provence wine brand in the United States, while Minuty holds the leading position in Europe, the Caribbean, and Dubai.” The wine styles are also different, he explains, with Minuty especially focused on lightness and freshness.

American wine drinkers can expect to see more wines from Minuty, including whites and reds, reports Schaus, as well as an increased focus on the luxury wines from the estate, namely the Château Minuty 281 ($85) and Rosé et Or ($55), a price jump from Minuty’s Prestige ($30) and M ($27) bottlings.

Schaus believes the Côtes de Provence will increasingly become synonymous with the world’s most elite rosé and top producers will continue to see growth. “Provence is increasingly becoming to rosé wines what Champagne is to sparkling wines.” And by leveraging the charms of Provençal lifestyle and heritage, he added, “these wines have found their place not only in the apéritif consumption moment, but also in fine dining and high energy bars and clubs.”

The Champagne comparison is not lost on Matton, either. While Minuty has seen impressive growth, especially in the last five years, he believes the synergies between LVMH’s Champagne brands, including Krug, Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart, will build a wider audience for his rosés. “We share many of the same customers,” he said.

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