Dolly Parton's British fans can now sip her wine as the singer’s “down to earth” range goes on sale in the UK.
According to recent reports, Dolly Wines, the new launch by Dolly Parton and Accolade Wines, has landed in UK. The range includes the Dolly Prosecco and Dolly Rosé. The brains behind Dolly Wines say they have bottled Parton’s “vivacious spirit and love for life” with the decision to branch out from selling albums.
With similar pricing to pop star Kylie’s successful wines, Parton’s £11 prosecco is described as “deliciously fresh and zingy” while, at £9.50, her rosé is said to be “delicate and romantic” with “lingering white strawberry flavours”.
The range is a collaboration with Accolade Wines, the Australian group behind Hardys and Mud House. Its marketing director for Europe, Tom Smith, predicted that UK consumers – who spend more than £600m a year on prosecco and guzzle rosé in ever greater quantities each year – would “love the range”.
Celebrity wines and spirit brands are picking up with names like Gary Barlow, Rod Stewart, Jon Bon Jovi, Snoop Dogg and Bob Dylan, as well as Kylie seen dabbling in it. Beyoncé recently joined forces with Moët Hennessy, part of the LVMH luxury goods empire, on the whisky SirDavis, which has a wallet-busting £80-a-bottle price tag.
As for now, Parton is entering the UK market with an exclusive deal to sell her wine in supermarket chain Asda.
The Guardian quoted Tom Priest, the buying manager for sparkling and rosé wine at Asda, who said the launch of Dolly’s range “brings one of the most iconic global entertainers into the world of wine.
"Premium prosecco and French rosé are areas that are delivering healthy growth in the UK market, so we expect this new range to be incredibly popular.”
Celebrity-backed brands “tend to outperform the overall market” said Emily Neill, the chief operating officer at the drinks industry data company IWSR, of the business rationale. “With celebrity involvement, a brand immediately has a personality ready-made. Non-celebrity brands, by contrast, have to work over a period of time to build their personality and positioning.”
Having a favourite celebrity affiliated with a drink also meant the consumer could “purchase with a degree of trust”, she said, adding that they also “offer consumers an affordable luxury, as well as a way of connecting with other fans”.
