http://snafu-ed.blogspot.com/2009/11/big-gulp...

Saturday, November 7, 2009
Big Gulps of Wine Coming to 7-11

Don't laugh, at least not yet. There was a time when 7-11 coffee was looked down upon, but now, not so much. Let's not forget that McDonald's as well is making inroads into Starbucks' market share. So what's wrong with 7-11 wine?

I guess we'll be finding out soon. 7-11 is about to start selling its own brand of wine. The company is calling it its first entry into the value wine category, and is releasing the two low-priced ($3.99) proprietary wines in the U.S. and Japan.

The California wines, a chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, will retail for about $3.99. They will be sold under the Yosemite Road label.

7-11 already introduced Sonoma Crest and Thousand Oaks, which retail for about $10, this is their first foray into value wines, and it's the company's first global product launch, as well.

Obviously, in this time of recession, price means a lot. So a $3.99 wine might produce some sales for 7-11. We may soon see people going into the convenience chain and walking out with wine instead of beer.

The wines are being made by The Wine Group in California. In fact, the company is the third-largest wine producer in the world. It already has a number of inexpensive brands such as Glen Ellen. The company describes the chardonnay as "zesty with notes of apricot, peach and honey," and the cabernet sauvignon as "full-bodied with juicy plum overtones."