Analysis and data to help you buy and sell better
The London Wine Competition, that was first launched in 2017, is back for its second year of competition with what it claims is a judging process that rewards wines that wine drinkers can relate to as they are assessed not just on their quality, but what they look like, what they stand for, how much they cost, and, arguably the most important criteria for all – how drinkable they are.
As the cream of the football world gets narrowed down to just eight in the World Cup, today is a day to celebrate the 18 countries that have either been awarded a Gold or Silver medal in what is the fifth year of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships. With all entries tasted blind by the same three judges it’s all about the quality about what is in the glass rather than how good it might sound on paper. Here’s who has won what…
We are about to enter awards season where black ties and ball gowns will become as common on a night out as a pair of sandals or sunglasses in high summer. This year’s awards nights, however, will have a fair few newcomers in the audience from a wider range of countries as Eastern Europe, in particular, targets the major competitions as a platform to help change the wine industry’s perceptions about its wines.
Current market conditions make it even more important that wine and spirit buyers are on top of who and where they can source their next few months of supply from. Which makes events such as the International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show such an important new fixture in the global wine calendar, with the second North American show taking place in San Francisco in July, before a return to the UK In March 2019.
Here’s some news for you. Quiet and unassuming Canada is not quiet and unassuming anymore. Particularly if you consider the actions of its not quite so cuddly Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, one of the few world leaders to really get under the skin of President Trump. Now Canadian winemakers have some way to go before they can claim to be catching the attention of world’s leading wine buyers, never mind the White House, but they now have the wines to do so, they just need to find more ways, like this, to tell the world about them.
For all Italophiles out there lamenting the fact Italy has not qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1958 here’s some better news for you. Bellavita Expo, a celebration of all things Italian, comes to London next week, between June 17-19 at London’s Business Design Centre. The three day event is part of a global roadshow that looks to highlight the best in Italian wine and food to buyers, importers, restaurateurs and sommeliers. Here’s what to expect…
If you could create a caricature of an Australian winemaker then David Hohnen, the man behind the iconic Cape Mantelle, Cloudy Bay and McHenry Hohnen brands, would be pretty close to the mark. Blunt, to the point and by his own admission “grumpy looking” but with a sense of humour sharp enough to cut through any conversation. Joe Fattorini caught up with him last weekend on his Margaret River farm just a couple of days before it was announced he is to receive the Order of Australia.
After months of sitting on their hands quietly watching how the government is tackling the UK’s departure from the European Union more and more business leaders are breaking rank to warn of the very real dangers of a so-called “hard Brexit”. As government negotiations reach another critical phase we assess the potential troubles that lie ahead unless an effective deal can be struck.
Wine report after wine report come back with the same conclusion regardless of which channel of the market they are looking at. Private label and exclusive brands are two of the fastest growing categories driven by the growth in bottled in market wine. The new International Bulk Wine & Spirit Shows have been set up to help producers and buyers alike keep on top of bulk wine trends.
Concha y Toro is not alone in how it now uses consumer insights to plot so much of its corporate strategy. But where it stands out against the majority of its competition is how it is willing to use those findings to drive major above the line advertising campaigns, including major sponsorship deals of TV channels that fit neatly to the aspirations and image of its major power brands. Richard Siddle assesses how CYT’s FMCG consumer-driven strategy is a benchmark for the rest of the industry to follow.
