Purple Wine Company Launches Cryptic, New Upscale Red Wine Blend

Graton, CA - Purple Wine Company, known for creating, marketing and selling top quality wines is launching Cryptic, a new upscale blended red wine.  Cryptic fills a unique niche in the marketplace. It taps into two of the most dynamic growth trends in in the table wine category, red blends and wines in the $15-20 price point sector.  The red blend segment is up +25% in the last 52 weeks, while wines in the $15-$20 price segment are up +16% in the last 52 weeks.1

Purple Wine Company learned through consumer research that red blend wine-loving consumers are sophisticated and high frequency purchasers, looking for a range of red blends, from everyday drinking to special occasions. These wines satisfy their desire for experimentation, versatility and fun.  It’s been shown that red blend drinkers like rich, smooth red wines with ripe fruit flavors.  Cryptic is a wine that fits the bill for them on a number of levels.

Sourced from over 30 different vineyards located in the Sierra Foothills, Paso Robles and Lodi, areas known for the best in bold red varietals, the Cryptic blend includes Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The experienced winemaking team, led by Wine Director Alex Cose is known for blending expertise. With 12-18 months of oak aging in French, American & Hungarian oak, Cryptic has a rich, toasty and complex profile.

The elegant package, designed by Onyx Design in San Francisco, is inspired by a 16^th century French cipher machine. The silk-screened bottle is accented with gold ink and 24-carat gold accents.   The name Cryptic refers to the mysterious alchemy that comes from combining individual lots of wine together to create an intriguing blend. The mystery of the varietals in the blend can be unscrambled on the back label, while details on the blend can be accessed by scanning the QR code on the back label or at crypticwine.com.

“Cryptic fits within the Purple Wine Company’s streamlined portfolio, where each brand is known for a single key wine.  It dovetails well because each of our wines represents superior price/value,” commented company owner and CEO Derek Benham.  “The launch reflects our evolution as a company to wines in the $10-$20 price segment fueled by a desire to offer something exciting to the consumer.”

Cryptic wines will be available nationwide at fine dining establishments as well as leading retailers at a suggested retail price of $18.

About Purple Wine Company
Recently named to Inc. Magazine’s top 5,000 companies in 2012, Purple Wine Company was founded in 2001 by Derek Benham and is based in Graton, California.  Its mission is to create wines of outstanding value, high quality and consistent style from vintage to vintage.  The wines are bottled by its sister production company, Sonoma Wine Company using thoughtful water and energy conservation practices while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Current brands include: Avalon, BEX, Four Vines and Cryptic.  Both Avalon and Four Vines were recently named Hot Prospect Brands by M. Shanken’s Impact Newsletter for 2012, tracking the most promising wine and spirits growth brands in the marketplace.  For more information, please visit www.purplewine.com.  For press inquiries, please contact Kimberly Charles at Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415.701.9463.

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1. According to IRI, $ Revenue, US Food/Drug 52 weeks ending 07/08/12