The News
The Côtes du Rhône AOC has launched a new campaign named "Refresh Your Wine" to highlight its chilled wines. This initiative targets 21–40-year-olds, from wine lovers to newcomers, offering them a freer and more contemporary way to experience the appellation's wines. The campaign was first introduced in 2024 and is part of an effort to align with modern consumption habits.
Côtes du Rhône’s new “Refresh Your Wine” campaign has attracted attention from importers, wholesalers and on‑premise buyers alike because it targets the 21‑40 age group with chilled rosés, whites and reds – a segment that is growing faster than traditional wine categories. The launch comes amid a surge in online searches for chilled red wine and a long‑term decline in French wine exports, prompting distributors to rethink shelf strategy.
A 1,020 % year‑on‑year jump in Ocado searches for chilled red wine shows how fast demand is expanding. With French wine exports at a 25‑year low, Inter Rhône’s timing appears deliberate: it aims to reverse the long‑term decline in AOC sales by offering an accessible, low‑intimidation product that appeals to consumers who usually choose lighter reds such as Beaujolais and Pinot Noir.
The chilled range covers rosé, white and red styles, all priced between €10 and $25. Because 12 % of the Rhône Valley’s output comes from its vineyards, Côtes du Rhône already enjoys a volume advantage that can be translated into higher consumption frequency if positioned correctly.
In the UK on‑trade, chilled reds are gaining traction while Champagne sales have slipped nearly 10 %. Consumers who want wines that can be served straight from the bottle or via a glass‑free tap system may view this offering as an alternative to Beaujolais or light Pinot Noir. Bars that regularly rotate their wine lists could consider it a repeatable driver of sales.
Retailers should focus on rollout in France and export markets such as Belgium, the UK, the US and Canada. For on‑premise operators, positioning these chilled wines as high‑frequency, low‑intimidation items can help fill seasonal gaps without requiring decanting or complex service rituals.
A 1,020 % rise in online searches shows consumers are actively looking for these options; the challenge for trade is to turn that intent into shelf turns. The tension between the campaign’s volume focus and the broader softness in French wine exports explains why this launch matters: it offers a way to counter long‑term decline by tapping an exploding demand niche.
Operators who see how Côtes du Rhône’s 12 % production share can drive volume in a segment with growing demand are positioned to achieve higher turnover. Distributors who secure shelf space for these chilled offerings should consider them as high‑frequency, low‑intimidation products that fit the trend of spontaneous sipping rather than curated tastings.
Original Press Release
With this new campaign, the Côtes du Rhône appellation refreshes the codes of freshness and asserts a modern, accessible and uninhibited vision of wine.
The Côtes du Rhône AOC is unveiling its new communication campaign dedicated to chilled wines. Under the signature “Refresh your wine,” the appellation aims to reconnect with younger generations and position its wines within contemporary, spontaneous and accessible moments of enjoyment.
In a context marked by profound changes in consumption habits, a more occasional relationship with wine, and the growing diversification of drinks chosen by young adults, Côtes du Rhône is embracing a communication strategy clearly focused on today’s lifestyle. The campaign primarily targets 21–40-year-olds, from wine lovers to newcomers, offering them a freer and more contemporary way to experience the wines of the appellation.
Chilled wines: a new way to experience Côtes du Rhône
First launched in 2024, the communication around chilled wines enabled Côtes du Rhône to affirm its modernity and its ability to evolve in line with consumer expectations. This new campaign goes one step further: beyond serving temperature, freshness becomes a true territory of expression for the appellation.
Rosés, whites and reds served chilled naturally fit into a wide variety of moments: aperitifs, informal or more traditional meals, shared moments on a terrace, dinners or urban breaks.
This approach places pleasure, simplicity and spontaneity at the heart of the Côtes du Rhône experience.
With “Refresh your wine,” the appellation embraces a more contemporary way of approaching wine: free from intimidating protocols, requiring no prior expertise, while remaining true to the demand for wines that are flavorful, distinctive and accessible.
One of the carousels for social media distribution
A campaign that breaks traditional wine codes
Designed as a structuring and long-lasting campaign, this new creative identity moves away from traditional or conventional representations of wine. It introduces a more contemporary, graphic and immediately recognizable aesthetic, built around color, texture, light and the sensation of freshness.
The campaign brings the three colors of Côtes du Rhône to life through a distinctive visual universe: the pep of rosé, the brightness of white and the intensity of red are expressed through fresh, sensory and qualitative imagery.
For international markets, the campaign adopts a lifestyle tone, showcasing Côtes du Rhône wines in simple, urban, qualitative and convivial moments. It conveys a new art of living around wine: spontaneous, open and contemporary, while remaining true to the identity and richness of the appellation.
One of the carousels for social media distribution
A living appellation, in tune with new consumer habits
Through this campaign, Côtes du Rhône reaffirms its ambition to remain a vibrant appellation, close to consumers and in tune with the evolution of their lifestyles.
“With chilled wines, we want to show that Côtes du Rhône can evolve without compromising our identity. This campaign expresses a more contemporary, spontaneous and accessible way to discover our wines. It reflects our desire to reach out to new generations of consumers, with codes that speak to them and a tasting experience adapted to their habits,” says Virginie Charlier, Marketing Director at Inter Rhône.
This new campaign follows the institutional brand campaign “Where the Rhône flows,” which conveys the appellation’s commitments. Together, these two communication territories contribute to strengthening the visibility, desirability and relevance of Côtes du Rhône internationally.
One of the carousels for social media distribution
A campaign rolled out in France and across export markets
The “Refresh your wine” campaign will be rolled out on July 6 in France and across several export markets: Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
It will be supported by a multichannel communication plan including:
short video formats designed for digital platforms;
short video formats designed for digital platforms;
social media campaigns and carousel formats dedicated to the three wine colors;
social media campaigns and carousel formats dedicated to the three wine colors;
event and trade activations;
event and trade activations;
programmatic campaigns and YouTube campaigns with video and static formats.
programmatic campaigns and YouTube campaigns with video and static formats.
The campaign will showcase Côtes du Rhône wines in simple, qualitative and contemporary moments of urban conviviality.
With this new campaign, Côtes du Rhône delivers a bold and contemporary message: an invitation to rediscover its wines through the lens of freshness.
Sources consulted (web research):
- Cotes Du Rhone Dedicates Campaign To Chilled Wines
- Cotes Du Rhone Launches Campaign Dedicated To Chilled Wines
- Cotes Du Rhone
- Regions Cotes Du Rhone
Source: BevNET