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MILLENNIAL MIGHT: Sledgehammer Forged Red If you���re over 40 and are not attracted to wines with unconventional names and edgy packaging, guess what? There���s a whole generation of folks who are. The Millennials are looking past the staid and timeworn traditions of wine and are extremely intrigued by a wine dubbed Sledgehammer. ���Sledgehammer is a polarizing brand, and we don���t expect it to resonate with everyone,��� observes Tom Smallhorn, VP Marketing, Innovation. ���Fortunately for us, the brand does resonate with Millennial men, who are attracted to Sledgehammer���s assertive wine style, dramatic labeling and, most important, its point of view. Sledgehammer runs contrary to wine snobbery. It calls baloney to the ���closed-eye sniff,��� the lifted pinky, the delicate swirl and the notion that drinking wine is some kind of a ritual unto itself.��� Sledgehammer���s new Forged Red is a big, rich and straight-up delicious red blend with wine sourced from premium California vineyards. The 2011 vintage transforms several individual red varietals into a blend that is incredibly smooth with a full-bodied mouthfeel and wildly lavorful. This powerful yet silky wine is very easy to drink and sure to be a hit with the Millennial crowd. The pretense-be-damned range also includes a Sledgehammer Zinfandel, Sledgehammer Cabernet Sauvignon and Sledgehammer El Gaucho Malbec, another varietal with a promising future among Millennial wine drinkers. Smallhorn adds, ���Sledgehammer wines are as bold as their labeling and at $12 per bottle, they are great wines for the value, which we���ve learned is critically important to Millennials.��� Additional brand information can be found at www.sledgehammerwine.com. Treasury Wine Estates MILLENNIAL MARVEL: Be. Winery The Millennial generation is the largest in history and with the vast majority of them being female, it only makes sense to discover what kind of wines Millennial women want to drink and make it for them. Such is the working premise behind Be., fashionable wines that cater to Millennial women���s ever-changing world, developed by a team of Millennial women. The feminine-oriented wines sport labels like Be. Sultry Sangria, Be. Tempting Red Blend and Be. Flirty Pink Moscato, with a total of seven stylish offerings to pair with Millennial women���s mood. ���Women pair their clothing, hair style and jewelry based on their mood so why not their wine,��� explains Tammy Ackerman, Sr. Brand Manager for Be. Winery. ���Instead of highlighting the varietal type, Be. wines have fun, tongue-in-cheek names to pair perfectly with our target consumer���s mood.��� Be.���s ability to connect with its target audience is conirmed by A.C. Nielsen statistics. In the last quarter of 2012, the brand���s sales ranked in the top ive fastest-growing in the highly competitive $8���$10 segment. Sales of three of its varietals���Be. Flirty Pink Moscato, Be. Bright Pinot Grigio and Be. Radiant Riesling���placed in the top 15 among strong national competition. This is highly promising for a brand that launched less than a year ago. ���Our packaging is chic, fun and modern, themes that have strong appeal to this style-conscious group,��� Ackerman adds. ���Last but not least, we offer hot cocktail style wine blends���Be. Peachy White Peach Bellini and Be. Sultry Sangria���that Millennial women already know and love, but with a new twist.��� The Be. wines are highly accessible for Millennials at $8.99 per bottle. Additional brand information can be found at www.bewinery.com. Treasury Wine Estates march 2013 / the tasting panel / 125