Marketing; On the lighter side

Thanks to the company’s astute foresight, Marqués de Cáceres has established itself as a producer of modern-style rosé and white wines, which co-exist perfectly alongside traditional red Riojas

When you think Rioja you automatically think red wine. If you think about whites from the region you would be forgiven for first thinking of the rich, nutty oak-aged whites that are such an acquired taste. At Marqués de Cáceres, however, a lot of work has been done during the past 30 years to make white and rosé wines that are in keeping with the more modern styles available on the international markets today.
“We are quite unique in Rioja in that our rosé and white wine production takes up nearly 30% of the total,” explains Anne Vallejo, marketing director. “In the early 1980s Mr Forner was one of the first in the region to install cold-fermentation equipment in the whole region – what he wanted to do then was produce fresher, lighter styles of whites and rosés as a point of difference for the brand. His inspiration came from the French and in particular the Bordelais style of fresh Sauvignons and Semillons. That style of wine was unheard of in Rioja back then.”
From the outset it was not easy to get hold of quantities of quality white grapes. “The problem was that growers then could get up to 30% more for red grapes than for white,” explains Vallejo, “the incentives to produce quality white grapes were just not there.” Probably many of Mr Forner’s neighbours thought he was a little strange wanting to turn quality red grapes into rosé, let alone produce cold-fermented whites. However, perseverance, and a strong belief that he was producing the style of wine that consumers would want to drink, won out, as today Marqués de Cáceres dominates the Riojan market in terms of rosé exports and is one of the region´s largest white wine producers. The statistics speak for themselves with total rosé sales having increased by 74.7% between 2001 and 2007, with the UK showing an increase of 115%. “We are also seeing good growth with the young whites,” comments Vallejo, “with the USA turning to both the whites and the rosé. Scandinavia and Finland are also starting to consume much more of both with Satinela being the first wine that we had listed by the monopoly.”

Cristina Forner, managing director of the company takes up the theme: “From the start whites and rosés have been strong for us, especially when you consider that Rioja had no reputation whatsoever for these styles of wine. We have managed to achieve a reputation for producing whites and rosés that are of an international standard but that also have very much their own character within the category.” She continues: “Not only are these wines representative of what Rioja can produce but also what Marqués de Cáceres is capable of.”
From the outset the aim of Forner’s father, and his winemaker Fernando Gómez, was to develop wines that were special, different and would stand out from the crowd. “The wines are all made to the highest production standards,” says Gómez. “We source all of the grapes from the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa zones to ensure the best possible grape quality. The whites are fermented to maintain maximum freshness. The rosés are made from 100% red grapes – Tempranillo and Garnacha – via the ‘sangré’ method which produces a much better quality of wine than blending does.”
Cristina Forner believes that the versatility of the wines has added greatly to their success, “A brand like Marqués de Cáceres has a heritage to protect but at the same time it has to be able to adapt and interpret the drinking demands of the younger, less loyal consumer who is constantly looking for something new.”

“The great thing about the whites and the rosés is that they are so suitable for this time of year as we go from spring into summer. The importance of rosé to the modern drinker’s wine portfolio has increased significantly in recent years. The Marqués de Cáceres rosé has the personality and the versatility to go well with all types of food and the drinking occasions that arise at this time of year and because we have put so much time and effort into producing these wines over a number of years we are able to readily respond to market demands.”

db ©  May 2008