The secret to success in business is usually sales volume. The question then arises: How do we find out about the sales volume of an item?
Today, we can trace the popularity of an item by the number of hits it gets or the number of likes on Facebook or other social media. Arbor Mist, a sweet, fruit-flavored, low-alcohol wine has received more than 1 million “likes” on Facebook, and if that doesn’t spell success, nothing does.
When Arbor Mist was first released in 1996, it was ridiculed by the wine press, wine gurus and wine geeks alike. The wine was criticized because it was sweet and blended with fruit flavors, and to the gurus, that is heresy. It was ridiculed because it was not a pure wine, and was, as one sage put it, “soda pop with alcohol.”
What it actually was, which was missed by the tunnel vision of the experts, was the opening shots of a major wine revolution - sweet, full-flavored wines.
We must admit to being a bit late in discovering Arbor Mist and its 14 wine and flavor combinations, but discover them we did. Not fearing the displeasure or condemnation from the community of wine wizards, we liked them.
We also must admit to not trying all of the available flavors and combinations of Arbor Mist (and we definitely are going to) but we did sample four of them and cannot wait to try the rest. We also can add that Arbor Mist wines will bring a smile to the face of anyone who tastes it and can liven up any gathering, from tailgate parties to a Saturday afternoon poetry reading.
Arbor Mist Peach Moscato ($4.50)This is a very flavorful wine in which the drinker does not have to think about the flavors, as they are presented right up front and are as obvious are as a wart on a person’s nose.
The wine displays the very typical orange flavor and honeysuckle aroma, which has been gently embraced by a peach and lychee fruit flavor and finish. What’s not to like?
Arbor Mist Cherry Red Moscato ($4.50) We don’t know about you, but we are sick and tired of foods and beverages that boast a cherry flavor but deliver something completely different. If it says cherry, we want cherry.
With this wine, the usual moscato flavors and aromas of oranges takes a back seat to the explosive flavors of cherry - real cherry, not some powdery imitation - which is backed up by the under-flavors of blackberry, guava and vanilla.
Try this wine with anything chocolate and you are in for an unforgettable experience.
Arbor Mist Mango Strawberry Moscato ($4.50)Now here is an interesting combination: tropical mango, springtime strawberries and citrus galore.
The Arbor Mist Mango Strawberry Moscato is a wine that is perfect for outdoor parties, indoor parties or just parties in general.
Arbor Mist Exotic Fruits White Zinfandel ($4.50)With this wine we step away from the moscato and take hold of the grandfather of American sweet wines, the zinfandel. The use of the variety introduces an entirely new and different profile.
The wine makes good use of the flavor and aroma characteristics of the zinfandel grape and then enhances them with fresh fruit flavors. This wine displays the traditional raspberry of the zinfandel, but also the under-flavors of boysenberry, cranberry and pomegranate. To this assemblage is added a finish which the Arbor Mist vintners call tropical fruits, but we detected mostly plum and an inviting lime.
Whatever they call it, this is an interesting variation on the attributes of a familiar variety.
Summing up all of the Arbor Mist line of wines, they are interesting, they are different, enjoyable, extremely affordable and, above all, they are fun.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.
