• by Steve Ellwanger , March 31, 2023

To promote its wine and spirits portfolio, Constellation Brands is planning to launch an original-series content studio in a multiyear, multimillion-dollar deal with global food, travel and home & design video platform Tastemade.

The company says the video content from Constellation + Tastemade Studios will be “inspired” by such brands as Robert Mondavi Winery, The Prisoner Wine Company, High West Whiskey and Kim Crawford.

Titled “Street Somm,” the first series will follow a sommelier’s travels and meals across the United States.

The goal is to “break through, inspire, and advance global wine and spirits culture with innovative storytelling formats spanning native social video and streaming television,” Constellation said in a news release.

In each episode, the “Street Somm” will journey to a new U.S. city to meet an “in-the-know local” to pair with in “creative and surprising ways—putting a fun twist on the right way to pair wine and challenging any preconceived notions about wine and food.”

This video sums things up by urging viewers to “open yourself up to new experiences.”

Constellation + Tastemade Studios will also develop and sell original series to other streaming platforms.

According to Constellation, Tastemade has a global audience of more than 300 million monthly viewers on all major digital, mobile and streaming television platforms.

“Consumers today are in the driver’s seat and choose to engage with brands that not only deliver high quality, great tasting wines and spirits, but exciting and engaging experiences across modern channels,” said Robert Hanson, EVP and president of Constellation’s wine and spirits division.

“Street Somm” will premiere on the Tastemade streaming channel later this year.

Other brands featured on Tastemade include Bailey’s Irish Cream, as seen in this St. Patrick’s Day tutorial for making Irish coffee.

The move comes after Constellation has spent the last few years pruning its wine and spirits portfolio.

Last month, investment firm TD Cowen wrote that the portfolio remains “challenged” and said it was “cautious” about the brand for the remainder of fiscal 2023.