Where am I going That is, according to experts, the first question you need to consider the wine producer. What means story, is the question that follows. Alfredo Matilla, export manager of the wineries and Rural Escorihuela Gascón sintentizó thus the primary steps in developing a new product. He did it in the Seminar for Exporters that developed in the Enoteca. Matilla was accompanied by the Chief of Trapiche SA Winemaker Daniel Pi, who developed the technical aspects of each product segment. Both experts agreed that today the temptation for many is to make more sophisticated products, wines that are generally not easily understood by the consumer. Perhaps accomplish an excellent score of specialists, but sometimes this score does not match consumer tastes, Matilla emphasized, adding that today more and more people tell us they want nice, round and unsophisticated wines. Tastes and styles Based on studies conducted in the past two years, Matilla said there is a predilection for wines with aromas and flavors of fruit and spices. Decreases the taste for acidity, astringency in wines decays, and the spicy sweetness are on the rise. The level of bitterness in wine is kept, he said. He said that often the winemakers are choosing diatribe in intensity or complexity, since both oppose technical level. Consumers need a quick wine. Less and less time. Therefore it tends to produce intense wines with less complexity, because the consumer needs to be blown from the beginning. Asked about this global trend towards sweeter flavors, Daniel Pi today confirmed that the sweet is associated with pleasure, is why astringency goes low and looking mouthfeel of ripe grapes. The corollary of this ripe grape is the high alcohol content in wines. Today in the super premium segment can find wines with 15 degrees of alcohol. Pi explained that the English market one of the most demanding in the world is very interested in wines with higher alcohol content. Some retailers choose Firefighter, a Spanish wine not too fancy, but good acceptance among consumers Breton. Overoaking and segments Winemaker Daniel Pi made it clear that while the wine segment of U $ 3 FOB value goes down, you can make good wines in boxes and gain markets in countries with lower purchasing power. Trapiche it did in Central African countries where they won a Spanish wine market in value for money. The lower valleys of San Juan, La Rioja and the East have very good soil conditions and climate for these wines, less investment in technology and high yields 15 to 20 tons per hectare is needed, and can achieve a good wine quality at these values, he said. In the segment of premium wines ranging from the $ 5 to $ 7 U revealed a long discussion topic: the lumbering of wines to suit the taste of the consumer. Journalism criticizes this overexposure to wood or varietal overoaking but this segment is clear that the consumer believes that wood prestige. This is an old idea that was forged because there were wines with grapes not as good quality to which they added wood to replace the quality you must have the grapes. At this time, with better varieties, it is necessary to decrease this trend. United States is already doing, at least in its upper segments wines. Relationship with the importer Choosing who will start working is as important as what I do, Matilla said when referring to the promotion of products abroad. In this sense the relationship between winemaker and importer is vital. Single do market research consultants, or traveling, they are very costly. Therefore one of the most important relationships, as I see it, is established with the importer. With him we must establish a partnership so that it is he who is in the place, who guide us about the tastes and choices of consumers. Source: Diario Los Andes
