Margaret River's Choosy Beggars wine label has targeted the 'brosés' (or men who love to drink rosé) to bring the discussion of men's health and wellbeing beyond the hairy peak of Movember.
As a special partnership between the Coles Liquor Group and their exclusive wine brand, Choosy Beggars raises funds for Movember all year round thanks to a donation of 50 ¢ when purchasing one of the wines in the selection.
"The fact that this Movember fundraiser is running year round is really special and hopefully ensures that we keep men's health on the agenda," said Coles Liquor Wine Sourcing Manager James Vercoe.
Challenging stereotypes
For Choosy Beggars award-winning winemaker Julian Langworthy, the pale pink Choosy Beggars Rosé is the Movember hero, and not just because its label has a pretty handlebar mustache.
"Our rosé is the most popular variety in the Choosy Beggars range and a very sought-after style, but the stereotype is that rosé is a 'feminine' style that makes this wine a vehicle for change," he says.
"It's about challenging stereotypes and expectations about masculinity, whether it be about your health and mental well-being or enjoying a pink drink."
Importance of mental health
Research by the Movember Foundation found that a quarter of men worldwide (25%) said their mental health had deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic, but only 16% spoke to a health care provider about their mental health – a problem , that has been the focus of the Movember campaign since it started in 2003.
Mr Langworthy, who is based in Margaret River, says men's mental health is a major concern in all regions of Australia.
"I think we're making progress and events like Movember are really a catalyst for men to open up to what they're experiencing, a conversation starts," he says.
Movember is the leading charity changing men's health worldwide, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
Over the past two years, the partnership between Choosy Beggars and Coles Liquor has raised nearly $ 170,000 for Movember, and with the label's sales growing, the outlook for this year looks bright.
