SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Sales of premium-priced rosé wines soared 45% in the past year, according to The Nielsen Co. "It used to be that pink wine meant white zinfandel or generic jug wines," said Nielsen's client service director Brian Lechner. "That is rapidly changing. The phenomenal growth in higher-priced rosé wine over the past year tells us that this segment is finding a sophisticated new audience." The sales increase makes $6 and over rosé wine one of the hottest emerging growth segments in all table and sparkling wine. For the 52 weeks ending March 10, rosé table wines accounted for more than $9 million in sales in food, drug and liquor stores, up 45% from the previous year. This is significantly more than the 8% increase for the overall table wine category. Twenty-eight new brands of premium rosé wine were introduced in 2006, nearly twice as many as the 15 brands launched in 2005. Six of the Top 10 most popular rosés are from France, two are American, and one each are from Spain and South Africa. "Consumers are seeking new experiences as wine consumption continues to grow and mature," Lechner said.

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