The winners of the highest medals AWA FARM met to discuss the United States market, so precious to the local wineries. The niches that interest them, price segments, the utility of the prizes and in particular the style of its wines, undisputed protagonists of a week that left a lot to talk about.
Whether they make the best wine or because they have chosen to rely on market research and produce wines that appeal to the American consumer, the fact is that four wines were marked as “arrogant” after the Argentina Wine Awards (Mendoza, 18 to February 21), where they won the top prize, the Trophy or Trophy. Andean Malbec 2007 (Andean Vineyards) won the Trophy Malbec, Cavas de Crianza Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Bodega Clos de Farms) got the Trophy Cabernet Sauvignon, The Gates – Tenth Anniversary Bonarda 2006 (Valle de la Puerta) won the Trophy Bonarda and Vistalba Line (Bodegas Vistalba / Carlos Pulenta) won the Trophy Red Blend. The competition involved 478 wine samples submitted by 119 wineries: 36 wines achieved the Gold Medal, 121 samples reached the silver medal and 179 copies were left with the Bronze medal. In total, 340 wines received no mention by the jury, including international experts such as Paul Lukacs, Michael Schachner, Michael Franz and Steve Olson counted. Delighted with the results – for some, unexpected – the head of the winning labels were provided for a chat with FARMS during which interesting concepts about the style of wines to the American market emerged, the utility of awards including the Trophy for powering a brand, competition with Chilean and Australian brands as well as the different methods used by each company to be positioned in a highly attractive market. The trophies brand pull up While it is early to say how sales pay off in the Argentina Wine Awards prize, the four interviewees concerning estimate the impact on sales will be important. Luis Suriani, Andean Vineyards, explains an enthusiastic way: my dealer in the United States already has all wine sold. In addition the winner will be as an icebreaker, will help bring the rest of the wine to another level, this always happens with the awards, it’s like the engine that drives the rest of the train cars in a market. The owner of Clos de Farms, Alejandro Genoud, said he just learned of the award was an American buyer in to buy wine see rewarded immediately closed the operation. All agreed that never should increase the price of a wine after a reward. Prize value is another, not the price, its price increasing after winning a prize are not serious, they judged equally. In the Rioja winery Valle de la Puerta, Javier Collovati these days began to send e-mails to all its customers announcing the good news. Surely this will pull up sales, especially as a variety Bonarda is not well known in the United States. This grape that generated us hesitant at first, but this award has made us reaffirm the course. Winemakers also appreciated the fact that the same jurors are journalists from international journals, which in turn will publish the results of the Argentina Wine Awards. These awards are always valuable for international markets, said Alejandro Canovas, Vistalba / Carlos Pulenta. Doing or not doing “Parker wines” In the jargon of the industry, known as Parker wines than those obtained by more than 90 points in the publication of journalist – American guru Robert Parker, a goal cherished by most winemakers world. The question always is whether the wines that Parker likes are also of interest to American consumers. Alejandro Canovas, Vistalba winery winemaker, believes that while a good score today Parker helps give value to the brand, the wines have to do are what the consumer likes, and often the two do not go hand. For small wineries such as Clos de Farms, have a wine with points in an international journal is a plus disposable anything. More than once that happens importers ask what the wine list is to accept it. If there is a wine not buy Parker argued Genoud. After speaking styles Question of scores, the talk revolved around styles. During the seminar Wines and Successful Styles in the United States, international jury emphasized that Argentina should make wine that you like, that reflects their identity and culture, and not copy foreign styles. The regional export manager of Andean Vineyards, Luis Suriani, was not quite agree with that assessment. We occupy a very small portion of exports of wine in the world, in fact in some places not even know us. Argentina will not win only markets premium wines, with wines that we like, Argentine wines, Mendoza and La Rioja style. Firstly it is necessary to reach a share of the market with a significant amount of media wines conozan be present for us and then do what we like, he said. Genoud, Clos de Farms, meanwhile stressed that these strategies should be evaluated depending on the project. In our case, we intend not to sell large volumes, high end wine is a choice, in fact every time we try to get better quality for greater added value.
Alejandro Canovas added that the important thing to do when a wine is to value our differences, not to Yellow Tale (the best-selling Australian wine in the USA with more than 3 million bottles) that is fashion. I also think the low-margin wines remove some stability and eventually are not too profitable for a winery. Suriani agreed that the inexpensive wines are a dangerous strategy. Indeed said are countless labels u $ s 10 which disappeared from American shelves by price increases in inputs. It is true, you need to sell more and more expensive, we should be there to know who we are stressed. Strategies to enter the North American market hard each awarded wineries has a different strategy, which is consistent with their scale of production, wine style and investment opportunities. Javier Collovati, Valle de la Puerta, emphasized that the warehouse where he worked until recently did not have an export manager. For a long time it took to wine fairs, did meet Torrontes, a wine like it because it is very fruity. Maybe everyone who tries, buys 3%, but that audience makes you know. The Peñaflor Group is in a position to invest in market research and branding, which is not able to make a small winery, such as chakras. In this case the strategy is geared to tourism. Receiving people at the winery was known as importers and fans from other countries, who became repeat customers, which in turn organized tastings in their homes, be it Germany, Brazil or the United States.
