Variety is the spice of Spain

Great efforts are being made to persuade supermarket buyers that there’s much more to Spanish wine than just Rioja and Tempranillo.  Isn’t it time they woke up and smelt the Albariño? asks Patrick Schmitt

PRESS, PRODUCERS, agents and Robert Parker have for some time been talking and writing about the enormous potential for Spanish wine, with Parker even describing the country as a future "star".

And yet, until Christmas time, Spain’s market share in the UK has been in decline, and if you glance at your average supermarket wine rack, it becomes quickly apparent that Spain’s range of regional produce is hardly well represented. Rioja is a word widely repeated, as is the variety Tempranillo, but where’s the Priorat, Toro, Rueda and Ribera that we read about?

And what about the Verdejo, Cariñena and Albariño? The fact is Spain’s more specialist wines are not attracting the consumers’ attention and, therefore, are failing to make the necessary rate of sale to justify their place on the shelf.

However, it’s not that the potential in Spain is untapped – the wines emerging from the country’s varied DOs are increasingly good quality and with marked regional expression – it’s just that most Spanish-wine consumers don’t know their Jumilla from their Rueda, but feel safe with Rioja.

Nevertheless, it is hoped, with Spain’s impressive sales turnaround since October/November last year – both volumes sold and, importantly, average prices paid, have increased – that supermarket buyers will consider experimenting with a more diverse range of Spanish wines.

Certainly, it has been well documented (see the drinks business, February) that much of this sales growth has been fuelled by Rioja, and in particular, by promotions on reserva-level wines.

But, whatever the cause, it has brought more consumers into the Spanish wine category, and not at the most basic level.  "The market is good," says PLB’s Alex Cannetti. "Spain has declined for about a year and then it stopped by about November last year.

So MAT we are up 6%-7% in volume and about 11%-15% in value, and when the market changes like that the buyers are more happy to buy interesting wines from different areas.  Yes, the change is driven by Rioja, but it is letting in all the interesting new areas."

Some are not quite as positive, however, seeing the cause (Rioja promotions) and effect  regional experimentation) as less clear cut.  For instance, Jo Maclean, marketing manager at Codorníu, is not as confident that the improvement in Spanish wine sales will let in a flood of wines from areas that are currently poorly represented on the UK shelf.

She suggests that many of the multiple retail buyers won’t be reviewing their Spanish range until May or even June and that they won’t look at one set of figures, those over Christmas, as a reason to extend their range, especially if the increase was fuelled by promotional activity.

Furthermore, Bill Rolfe, marketing director at United Wineries, questions the motivation of some buyers when it comes to listing wines from more diverse Spanish regions. 

He certainly  believes Spain needs the help of the major retailers to expose consumers to the country’s diverse collection of wines, and notes that some are sympathetic to this cause, but more often than not, "They are listing wines from other areas because they are cheaper.

They are doing it