Demand for Quady Moscato Propels Winery Growth

Quady Winery is expanding to keep up with consumer demand primarily for our premium Moscato! Take a look at the press release we recently sent out in case you missed it….

Quady Winery is a California producer specializing solely in premium sweet and apéritif wines. Salt of the Earth is Andrew Quady’s newest endeavor: a partnership that leverages the combined expertise of his winemaking and growing team to produce high quality domestic Moscato for the U.S. market. Moscato for both companies is made at Quady Winery in Madera, the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, in Central California.

Red Electra and Electra Moscato sales increased remarkably from 29,400 cases in 2010 to 46,000 cases in 2015. Red Electra Moscato is Quady Winery’s best selling wine, followed by Electra Moscato. These two Moscatos are slightly spritzy, with retained naturally produced carbon dioxide that releases little bubbles when first poured in the glass. Red Electra and Electra are around 5% alcohol.

Salt of the Earth sales grew from 7,398 cases in 2011 to 37,000 projected cases in 2016. Salt of the Earth’s best selling Moscato Rubino and Flor de Moscato are different than Quady Winery’s Red Electra and Electra Moscatos in that they are higher alcohol, around 7%, and the blend of grapes is unique. Andrew Quady likes to describe these Moscatos as more wine-like, whereas the Electras are more juice-like.

The same winemaking philosophy applies to both brands: to make sweet Moscato wine from quality Orange Muscat, Black Muscat, and Muscat Canelli grapes that is fresh, aromatic, complex, and perfectly balanced with sweetness and acidity, similar to ripe fruit.

Salt of the Earth was formed in 2011 as a partnership between Quady Winery’s primary grape grower, Denis Prosperi; Quady Winery’s Director of Winemaking, Michael Blaylock; Quady Winery’s former General Manager, Cheryl Russell; and the Quady family. Currently, Salt of the Earth is only distributed in 10 states. The expansion of Quady Winery, where Salt of the Earth is made, will allow more distributers in more states to come on board.

Andrew Quady, co-founder of Quady Winery and Salt of the Earth, comments on his mission and experience with Moscato in the market,

“Our goal has always been to make the highest quality wines possible in the category in which we find ourselves and we’re very pleased at the reception in the marketplace to our very high quality Moscato styles. American consumers have not really experienced this kind of quality in domestically made Moscatos.”

Quady is also in the process of contracting with growers to provide a significant amount of the new grape supplies that will be needed to sustain growth. Quady Winery and Salt of the Earth set their Moscatos apart from others in the marketplace by using Orange and Black Muscat and Muscat Canelli varieties that are known for complex aroma and fruit characteristics. Denis Prosperi of Madera, California, will be supplying the majority of the increase in Orange Muscat and Black Muscat grapes.

Quady is also playing a role in the exciting craft cocktail market through the creation of Vya Vermouth­—America’s leading premium domestic vermouth. Vya Vermouth is made at Quady Winery using Orange Muscat and Quady’s port for a portion of its base. While still a minor component of total production for Quady Winery, Vya sales increased from 2,000 cases in 2010 to 5,300 cases in 2015. Vya comes in three distinctive styles: Vya Whisper Dry, Vya Extra Dry, and Vya Sweet. Each style is infused with a unique selection of herbs and spices, and pairs well with quality spirits.

Quady Winery and Salt of the Earth plan to make a combined 100,000 cases of wine in 2017, up from 50,000 cases in 2010. The long-term plan is to reach 160,000 cases in 2021.

To keep up with the increase in production they began by adding two 25,000-gallon tanks in 2013. Four more tanks of similar size were added this year. These tanks are housed in a cold room to ensure that the wine is at the ideal temperature for bottling effervescent Moscato.

Quady Winery is also incorporating a unique cooling system to drop the temperature of the grapes by 30 degrees after leaving the crusher and before entering the crush tanks. Maintaining a consistent temperature is one way the Quady winemaking team stays on top of the quality in every tank, and subsequently every bottle of Moscato.

Andrew Quady comments on the expansion,

“Everybody here is excited about the plan for our growth, especially the winemakers who are the ones who need to make all this extra wine, so we’re working hard to give them the tools that they need.”

In addition to new equipment and processes, Quady is building a warehouse to consolidate storage of their wines onsite. The warehouse will include office and lab space for the winemaking team, as well as an employee break-room.

Quady Winery is also taking advantage of the sunny San Joaquin Valley climate with the installation of solar panels on the roof. The photovoltaic panels provide the majority of their electricity needs.

Andrew Quady started in the wine business in 1975 making port. He hired winemaker Michael Blaylock (now Director of Winemaking) in 1984 to manage the growth spurred by his early fortified wines, Essensia and Elysium. Electra Moscato was introduced in 1990 and Vya Vermouth in 1999.

For wholesale information contact Jim.Fricke@quadywinery.com. For samples to review, press, or other trade questions contact press@quadywinery.com. For more details on where to find Quady and Salt of the Earth wines, winery history and bottle-shots, visit quadywinery.com and saltoftheearthwine.com.