Drinks producers and retailers 'get personal' for Valentine's Day

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 09 February, 2015

Wine and spirits retailers and producers are looking to cash in on love this Valentine's Day with a host of personalised and quirky products alongside the more straightforward deals.

From bottles of Champagne with pens attached to allow you to write a love letter, to apps which let you record a message and upload it, getting up-close and personal with consumers is a growing trend.

Valentine's Day wine Drinks brands look to engage with consumers on Valentine’s DayTussock Jumper is encouraging its customers to send romantic (or otherwise) messages to each other via its QR-code enabled neck label, in time for Valentine’s Day.

Waitrose Cellar is marketing specially-selected vintages of top bottles to mark the year a couple met, just in time for Valentine's Day. The supermarket's Vintage Milestones campaign, which includes wines from as far back as 2003, looks to mark a particularly happy year for a couple - such as when they met or married. Each one has a guide with a comment from the sommelier, and can pick out major news events from that year too.

Valentine's Day is the second most popular drinking occasion in the Champagne calendar, after Christmas, and Champagne Lanson's Special Edition Rosé cuvée is set to hit shelves on February 11. The brand is also getting behind the trend for increased personalisation with its pink and white bottles that come with pens attached to allow the consumer to write their own personalised message for a loved one.

Another producer looking to cash in on the personalised trend is Tussock Jumper Wines. It has launched its Celebration app, which allows users to send a surprise message, voice recording or video (as silly or serious as they like) to their Valentine with a bottle of wine. It works by QR codes digitally attaching the personal message to a hanger around the bottle neck.

The more traditional deals include the Co-operative's £10 discount across three Grand Marque Champagnes in honour of Valentine's Day - with Piper Heidsieck Brut NV down from £30.99 to £20, Lanson Rosé Champagne NV down from £37.99 to £27.99 and Bollinger NV gift pack down from £44.99 to £34.99. It is also offering money off its Prosecco and a range of sparkling wines.

Meanwhile independent wine retailer Hanging Ditch, in Manchester, is planning a late opening for a "special candlelit evening dedicated to the love of exceptional booze". It is offering Champagne and Negronis as well as its usual wine selection.

Not to be outdone, William Grant owned Hendrick's Gin Hendrick's Gin has created two Valentine's cocktails - the Chelsea Rose and Flora Dora. The former is a cloudy apple juice and raspberry concoction while the latter has lime and ginger beer.

Restaurant group D&D London has launched Love Film & Wine to mark the day, with film-based wine tastings and special screenings at a host of its venues - it kicks off today and last until March 2.

Elsewhere in the on-trade, diners can enjoy a special menu at Marylebone's 108 Brasserie, with a twist - they get to take home breakfast granola "for the morning after" from the adjoining 108 Pantry. Visitors to Soho's House of Ho might discover a diamond worth £1,500 lurking at the bottom of their Diamonds are Forever Martini, which they can then match up to a setting of their choice at Hatton Garden's Star Jeweller.

Jewellery is also up for grabs at Searcys Champagne bars throughout February - when diners order from the rosé Champagne and oysters menu they are in with a chance to win a Links of London Effervescence Star Pearl Bracelet worth £160.

Printer friendly version