Schmitt Sohne is to introduce a red & white wine in unbreakable 375ml aluminium bottles for the US market. The importer of German wine said it would launch Relax Juniors in either Relax Riesling or Relax Cool Red, a chillable red wine, in an aluminium bottle with a screw-on re-sealable cap. The wines will retail for about US$4.99/bottle. Relax Juniors will be displayed in point-of-sale cases of 12. The company said using aluminium bottles for wine had been discussed for over a year. "We think the aluminium bottle is an idea that could revolutionise the way consumers drink wine," said Chris Klau, CEO of Schmitt. "It's easy to grab & go, perfect for stocking the cooler for picnics, ideal for serving at pool or patio, or for having `just enough' wine at home. Now, you can still enjoy a delicious wine that's fresh, crisp, clean & cool anywhere you go," he added. Klau claims that the aluminium bottle preserves the taste of the wine just as well - or better - than a glass bottle. "We expect the public to react to Relax Juniors much like they did for the original launch of Relax. They bought Relax because it is a great wine at a good value, packaged in a dramatically new, fashionable bottle. We simplified the message about German wine and the consumers responded by trying Relax en masse. They came back, though, for the taste," Klau said. Klau said he expects to have product shipped and available nationally by early this autumn. "With the consumption of wine increasing in America, it is very important that we make our wines fit consumer's lifestyles. We want consumers to feel wine is more of an everyday, ordinary pleasure than special occasion treat. This new packaging makes it much easier to do that," Klau said.
