Diageo plans a rosé spritzer summer

Wine spritzers are set for a revival this summer, with a planned on-trade initiative under the Blossom Hill brand.

Brand owner Diageo has designed a new serve for the brand, the Blossom Hill Tall Rosé, in a bid to cash in on the popularity of longer drinks. The new serve also taps into the trend for lower alcohol drinks, it said.

The Blossom Hill Tall Rosé is a 125ml measure of its White Zinfandel wine mixed with 50ml of soda water, sparkling water or lemon-

ade. The promotion is set to tie in with this year's Wimbledon Tennis Championship, which the brand sponsors.

Branded glassware and swizzle sticks will form part of 1,250 on-trade kits that will be distributed ahead of Wimbledon fortnight, from 22 June to 5 July.

"This new serve has been designed to broaden the brand's appeal as a long drink, while providing a lower-alcohol alternative," said a spokeswoman.

Limited-edition packaging, featuring a tennis ball on the label, will also be launched in the off-trade as part of the brand's Wimbledon plans this year. Diageo signed a four-year deal to sponsor Wimbledon in 2007. Last year it ran an extensive Win a Garden Party promotion across the on and off-trades as part of its Wimbledon-based activity.

As part of a bid to "redefine the wine market" the brand underwent a packaging revamp, and the franchise was extended beyond California, with wines from Italy, Chile and South Africa joining the range.

Diageo is investing heavily in promoting long drinks across all categories this summer. It is running cross-brand activity on its spirits brands, distributing 1,000 kits through cash-and-carry outlets and developing bespoke plans for licensees to promote spirit and mixer drinks throughout the warmer months.

The company is also rolling out Pimms Keggy, its Pimms and lemonade on-draught offer, following a successful trial last year.