Skalli comes to the States

Robert Skalli, the veteran French wine producer, has launched US import company Skalli Family Wine Americas to bring a new portfolio of Robert Skalli wines from the south of France to the States.

Skalli, who has vineyard holdings in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Languedoc and Corsica, will be offering Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon at a retail price of US$19.50.

Skalli's venture and the pricing of the wines reflect the growth in the reputation of southern French wines in the US.

He is one of the producers leading the charge to higher quality wines from the area over the past two decades.

The new company is also indicative of the growing strength of imported wines which now mak e up almost a third of the overall US wine market.

Through July , imported wines were up 13 per cent compared with the same period last year when French imports were up 10 per cent.