De Bortoli Wines has added a Pepper and Spice Shiraz to its flavour-led range, following the launch of its Buttery Chardonnay. The Rutherglen red is the second SKU in the winery’s strategy of using on-pack flavour descriptors to drive shelf confidence and support purchase decisions.
Shiraz accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the total Australian red wine market by volume, with around 14.6 million litres produced annually, according to Circana data. De Bortoli is positioning the new release to capitalise on continued consumer demand for bold, flavour-forward styles in the category.
The wine is sourced from the 2024 Rutherglen vintage and matured for three months in a combination of American and French oak. It carries 14.99 per cent alcohol and holds Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification. The product is suitable for vegan and vegetarian consumers.
De Bortoli Wines winemaker, Roberto Delgado, said the brief was to lean into the varietal rather than moderate it.
“Shiraz is Australia’s signature red, and we wanted to create a wine that celebrates everything people already love about the style. With Pepper and Spice, we didn’t want to shy away from intensity. We wanted to embrace it. It’s bold and full-bodied, but it finishes smooth. It’s a wine with presence,” Delgado said.
The flavour-led labelling approach is a deliberate response to consumer research showing shoppers favour clear flavour cues and modern label design when making wine purchase decisions.
