STEL+MAR Wines has launched in the U.S., targeting the often-overlooked under-40 age demographic with a collection of highly rated wines that are approachable in flavor, accessible in price, and relatable in brand.
Integrity Wellness Brands (IWB) is managing the launch. IIntegrity has its own network of more than 250 distributors throughout the country, and STEL+MAR is now available in about 80% of the U.S., covering 30 states and most of the major metros throughout Florida, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, New York, and Oklahoma.
IWB has been successful in securing some best-in-class distributors to bring STEL+MAR to market, including Victory Wine Group in Texas, Breakthru Beverage in Florida, and General Beverage in Wisconsin.
According to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2022 State of the Wine Industry Report, the under 40 demographic comprises about 72 million people in the U.S. As this demographic matures in age, palate and consumption tendencies, they are actively searching for brands that are aligned with their personal tastes and values.
To appeal to this overlooked and underserved segment of potential wine drinkers, STEL+MAR’s current selection of low-sugar wines are priced at $13.99 per bottle, and feature label artwork designed to resonate with its intended audience.
STEL+MAR is launching in the U.S. with three crowd-pleasing wines, approachable in price as well as taste. Its current portfolio includes:
California Cabernet Sauvignon ($13.99), California Chardonnay ($13.99), and California Rosé ($13.99).
“With STEL+MAR, our goal is to create the best wines possible at an attractive price for the under-40 segment of wine drinkers. These consumers are often misguided into thinking that you have to pay up for great wine. They’re fearful that an under $15 dollar bottle may deliver a lackluster, or worse, an embarrassing experience when shared with friends. With STEL+MAR, we’re proving that you can have a great tasting wine, at a price that you’re willing to take a chance on,” commented co-founder Chris Noll.
With an eye on the environment as well as great taste, all of STEL+MAR’s uses light glass bottles in order to lessen the carbon footprint created during the shipping process and sources the majority of its grapes from vineyards certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
Labels feature images of idyllic 1950s California beach scenery that captures laid-back fun amongst friends. “The art on our labels is as unique to the industry as it is appealing. The majority of the wine labels in the $10-$20 category don’t speak to the younger generation, and if they do, the product inside is often of suspect quality,” Justin Dumitrescu, co-founder, added. “We wanted labels featuring artwork you would want to hang on your walls, and not think at first that it’s a wine label.”
While based in California, STEL+MAR was first launched in Canada in 2020, giving the team time to test their brand identity and make refinements before entering the hyper-competitive and much larger U.S. market in 2022.