Bensimon Byrne Work

Arterra Wines Canada needed to unlock growth amid overall wine category decline. Younger millennials and Gen Z were slow to enter the category, but Rosé showed consistent gains, presenting a focused opportunity to recruit new drinkers and reverse downward trends.

Through consumer research and cultural analysis, we uncovered a growing group of Rosé drinkers who rejected traditional wine luxury but still wanted products that reflected their identity and style. Instead of launching another wine label, we built Saintly as a lifestyle brand designed for Zillennial tastemakers.

The brand leaned into fashion, self-expression, and social discovery. We activated Saintly through direct-to-consumer events, social first sampling, limited merchandise drops, and creator collaborations. Early trial and conversion results quickly revealed which moments drove the strongest demand, allowing us to focus investment on high impact sampling and community driven buzz.

Saintly quickly became a category leader, selling out repeatedly in its launch year and doubling volume expectations through scarcity-driven demand. By year two it ranked among the top five VQA Rosés nationally. By year three it reached number one. Arterra expanded the brand to an eight-SKU portfolio, with impact extending beyond sales as consumers embraced Saintly as a badge of identity, wearing, sharing, and aligning with the brand as much as drinking it.