Constellation Brands brought Barfly on to test three new wines against an ambition to launch a new super-premium cabernet sauvignon into the highly competitive US market. The study had to advise the business on the optimal blend of different test liquids, brand stories and pack options.

High-end sommeliers were recruited from the Barfly network in both San Francisco and Chicago, who then took part in qualitative, filmed interviews working to pre-agreed discussion guides and exercise sheets. Central to the approach was a structured liquid taste test, to match the right wine with the right concept.

A winning combination was clearly identified through the process, and Constellation Brands confidently launched Auros in the US market months later, and it is now one of the most popular US wines from Napa Valley (source: wine-searcher.com).