Boston-based 90+ Cellars has launched the Discovery Series, a new product line built around under-the-radar wine regions and lesser-known grape varieties, with both debut SKUs priced under $15 at suggested retail. The move reflects a deliberate push into the emerging-varietal segment as the brand competes for shelf space and digital basket share in the competitive premium-value wine tier.

The Lineup

The series opens with two light white wines: Lot 236 Pecorino, sourced from coastal Abruzzo vineyards in Italy, and Lot 240 Torrontés, drawn from Argentina's high-altitude Cafayate Valley in Salta. Both carry a suggested retail price under $15 and are available through select retailers and direct-to-consumer via ninetypluscellars.com. Two additional Discovery Series SKUs are scheduled for later in 2026, expanding the varietal roster further.

The Pecorino positioning leans on an analogy familiar to category buyers: the brand describes it as combining the easy-drinking appeal of Pinot Grigio with the vibrant character of Albariño, a framing designed to reduce trial friction at shelf. The Torrontés is similarly anchored to reference points — Sauvignon Blanc freshness, Riesling aromatic lift — a strategy that helps retailers merchandise unfamiliar varietals without extensive consumer education.

Why It Matters

"Today's younger wine drinkers are much more adventurous," said Alexandra Shaughnessy, Wine Director at 90+ Cellars. "They're less concerned with whether they've heard of the grape or region and more interested in discovering wines with great stories, incredible quality and outstanding value."

The sub-$15 price band is a deliberate strategic anchor. The premium-value wine segment — broadly defined as bottles between $10 and $20 — has been one of the more resilient pockets of the U.S. wine market as consumers trade down from higher-priced labels while resisting a full retreat to commodity tiers. Launching an exploratory line within that range allows 90+ Cellars to capture incremental trial without cannibalizing its existing portfolio.

The Discovery Series also aligns with documented shifts in on-premise and off-premise purchasing. Pecorino has gained notable traction in Italian-focused restaurants and specialty retail over the past three vintages, while Torrontés from Salta has benefited from growing sommelier interest in high-altitude South American whites. For grocery and specialty wine buyers, both varieties now carry enough consumer awareness to warrant dedicated shelf placement without requiring the promotional spend that a fully obscure grape would demand. Coverage of related emerging-beverage trends and wine portfolio strategy at F&B Industry News tracks how brands are repositioning around varietal discovery.

What's Next

90+ Cellars, owned by Latitude Beverage, describes itself as one of the fastest-growing wine brands in the United States and a top-five premium wine brand in the Northeast. Founded in 2009, the brand sources from established producers globally and uses a numbered lot system to differentiate SKUs — a model that positions the Discovery Series as a natural line extension rather than a brand departure. With two more wines slated before year-end, retail buyers can expect the series to grow to at least four SKUs by early 2027.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.