"Kawaii" (that's Japanese for cute) isn’t typically an adjective used to describe wine, but Sanrio wants to change that. The company has partnered with Italy's Torti Winery to launch a new line of Hello Kitty-branded wine in the U.S., the Los Angeles Times reports.
The line includes a sparkling Hello Kitty rosé, made from a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, and a sparkling Hello Kitty white wine from pinot noir grapes. The labels feature the popular, feline-inspired cartoon character, and one bottle is even painted with a gold heart.
Hello Kitty wine might be new to America, but customers in Asia and Europe have been enjoying it for several years now. According to the Los Angeles Times, people from Sanrio tried Torti’s wines at a restaurant and liked them so much that they contacted the winery (located in Italy’s Lombardy region) to create a unique product just for them. Torti has set aside grapes for Sanrio’s European and Asian markets since 2007, and the winery's website advertises multiple vintages that currently aren't available in the U.S.
Hello Kitty Wine is now sold at Antonello Ristorante in Santa Ana, California. There, restaurant owners have created an accompanying Hello Kitty-inspired food menu, and customers can purchase the wine by both the glass and the bottle. (You can even take the bottle to go.)
There’s still no word on whether other establishments or wine outlets carry Hello Kitty Wine, and an online store linked to the vineyard's website seems to be all sold out. However, the L.A. Times does mention that the Torti family plans on expanding production and distribution, so don’t be surprised if you see Sanrio's most iconic character gracing the shelves of your local wine store in the not-too-distant future.
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