RETAILERS BEND OVER BACKWARDS FOR 'SIDEWAYS'

Carol Angrisani

The award-winning movie "Sideways" has been uncorking pinot noir wine and video pairings since it came out on DVD last month.

Lund Food Holdings, Edina, Minn., is cross merchandising the DVD with various pinot noirs in its six Byerly's and one Lunds Foods wine and liquor stores. All seven units have a display holding about 20 copies of the DVD, which retails for about $20.

Likewise, Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh; Albertsons, Boise, Idaho; and H.E. Butt Grocery, San Antonio, are among chains supporting a promotion that displays the DVD with Robert Mondavi Private Selection pinot noir.

Retailers are eager to draw attention to a movie that's been a boon to their wine business. Pinot has always sold well at Lund Food Holdings, but sales have been up about 20% since "Sideways" was released in October 2004, said Bill Belkin, category manager, wines and spirits.

"Not since the famous '60 Minutes' report on the medical benefits of red wine has there been such a boost to the sale of a particular category within our shops," Belkin wrote in a column posted on www.byerlys.com. The newsmagazine reported in 1991 on claims of health benefits from moderate consumption of red wine.

The Academy Award-winning "Sideways" chronicles the adventures of two friends on a wine-tasting road trip in Santa Barbara, Calif. Pinot noir is the lead character's varietal of choice.

While pinot noir sales have been rising for several years, the varietal has done especially well since the movie's release. Prior to "Sideways," pinot noir represented 1.1% of all table wine sold in the United States in food/drug/liquor channels, according to ACNielsen, Schaumburg, Ill. Pinot's share has since reached 1.4%.

Domestic and imported pinot noir generated $102 million in food store sales for the 52 weeks ending April 9, a 28% increase from the same period a year earlier, according to ACNielsen.

"'Sideways' has been a blessing," Belkin told SN. "It's made people want to know what this grape is all about."

Belkin said he's confident the sales increases will last, because trends in the wine industry have longevity, as evidenced by the continued impact of the "60 Minutes" report, 13 years after it aired.

Though many pinots carry high retails, several producers have come out with moderately priced selections, like Castle Rock, which Lunds/Byerly's stores sell for $10.99 a bottle.

Retailers also are supporting a joint promotion from Constellation Wines and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The program pairs the "Sideways" DVD with Constellation's Robert Mondavi Private Selection's pinot noir and pinot grigio.

Where legal, the wines have bottle neckers with in-store redeemable coupons for $3 off the DVD, and $1 off Pepperidge Farm crackers and Jarlsberg cheese.

In some states, the promotions include a sweepstakes with a grand prize of a "Sideways" tour of Napa Valley.

Retailers also are capitalizing on the movie's popularity with cooking and sampling events.

From May 12 to 21, Lund Food Holdings conducted its first pinot noir wine tasting and sale. All pinots were sold at 20% off per bottle and 25% off cases of 12.

The movie prompted Lund to change the wine assortment at its Lunds/Byerly's stores. All six units have added about 10 new stockkeeping units of pinot noirs produced in Oregon and California, for a total of 30 pinot SKUs, and moved pinot displays to more prominent areas of the store.

Jungle Jim's International Market, Fairfield, Ohio, doubled its pinot SKUs from 100 to 200 in response to the movie, said David Schmerr, the retailer's wine and beer director. Retails range from $6.99 to $100, with the average purchaser buying a bottle in the $20-to-$30 range.

The retailer also added a "Sideways"-themed dinner to its cooking school calendar. The August event will pair about five different pinots with various foods.

At Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh, domestic pinot noir sales have risen 79% in the past six months, leading the retailer to increase the varietal's presence at its wine events, said Olivier Kielwasser, director of beer, wine and liquor.

Pinot noir sales have increased an average of 25% at Jungle Jim's, with some selections growing as much as 50%, Schmerr said. The biggest seller is Avila, which retails for about $10. Jungle Jim's moves about four to five cases of the brand a week.

"Shoppers are looking at all types of pinots, not just those featured in the movie," Schmerr said.

A Penchant for Pinot

Bill Belkin is thrilled when shoppers come into his wine stores asking about a wine they call "PEE-note-NWIRE."

He doesn't care if they mispronounce pinot noir (PEE-know Na-WAHR), as long as they're interested in the varietal.

"I explain how it's pronounced and introduce them to the wine," said Belkin, category manager, wines and spirits, Lund Food Holdings, Edina, Minn.

To help educate shoppers about the red grape and how it's harvested, Belkin recently wrote a column for the www.byerlys.com Web site. Following are excerpts:

We have all at one time or another heard someone order a glass of "burgundy" at a restaurant, or perhaps the family chef has cooked beef burgundy. Well, guess what? Burgundy is a region in France and the red burgundies are made from one singular grape: pinot noir.

This thin-skinned, somewhat temperamental varietal does best in environments that afford long, warm days and coolish nights without huge spikes in temperature. They must be harvested at precisely the right moment to avoid negative effects of either extreme.

When done right, pinot noirs have an almost unmistakable silkiness on the tongue and a softness and elegance not found in cabernet or syrah. While these wines exhibit softness and great finesse, never underestimate their sometimes delicate colors. These wines can pack a ton of flavor and a full bouquet of aromas.

Pinot noir's home is France but here in the United States, California and Oregon boast of literally hundreds of top-flight producers.

Merlot Maintenance

Pinot noir's growing popularity has prompted producers of other wines to sow their own promotional efforts.

That's especially true for merlot, a varietal criticized in the movie "Sideways."

Aiming to "prove merlot's enduring appeal," merlot producers hosted a tasting event May 20 at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga, Calif. More than 120 domestic and international merlot producers registered to pour over 200 domestic and imported merlots.

"The brotherhood of merlot producers is preparing to send a strong message about the resilient nature of merlot's varietal appeal," Mike Westrick, vice president of winemaking, Sterling Vineyards, said in a statement.

While pinot noir has had larger sales increases, merlot continues to sell well and still ranks as the largest red varietal, ahead of cabernet sauvignon, according to ACNielsen. Imported and domestic merlot food store sales stood at $565 million for the 52 weeks ending April 9, a 5% increase. In comparison, domestic and imported pinot noir generated $102 million in food store sales for the same period, a 28% increase.

Merlot sales took only a slight hit at Jungle Jim's International Market, Fairfield, Ohio, said David Schmerr, the retailer's wine and beer director. "Merlot is a bit overshadowed by pinot, but it's still a good performer," he said.