HOW TO OWN A CULTURAL MOMENT: WITH PERSONALITÉ
THE YEAR 2020 HAS BEEN A YEAR THAT DEMANDS WINE.
Erica Blumenthal and Nikki Huganir expected this. They didn’t expect the reason, of course—the horrible stress, the terrible tragedies, interminable lockdowns. Instead, they were envisioning pool parties, summer getaways, and the other carefree activities that have lifted them toward the top of the summer’s hottest wine category. Blumenthal and Huganir are the founders of Yes Way Rosé, a brand that was born out of a catchphrase on Instagram but whose silly name has led to serious sales: It’s the no. 1 French canned wine, the no. 2 sparkling French rosé, and the no. 4 French rosé in America.
Back in March, just days before the nation spiraled into crisis, I visited them as they prepped for what was supposed to be a booming summer. It was 10 a.m. on a freezing morning, inside a photo studio in New York’s garment district, and a photographer and a food stylist were on hand to make summertime marketing materials. They’d whipped up a punch that really did look delicious: watermelon juice, vodka, and, of course, Yes Way Rosé, in a bowl that deserved to be the centerpiece of a party.
The two founders toasted each other before glancing my way and becoming acutely aware of the morning hour. “We have to test the product to know that it’s good,” Huganir said coyly. The team on set laughed, then got to work. No one had any idea what was coming.
But as the world changed in the coming months, and many industries were shaken or destroyed, the alcohol industry held on and, in some cases, thrived. In-store sales across all alcohol categories were up 21 percent year over year across America, and online alcohol sales were up 234 percent. Yes Way Rosé’s
