Sud de France rewards loyalty with free wine

Sud de France has launched a loyalty card scheme giving trade and press members who attend its events regularly the chance to win free cases of wine.

Sud de France is offering free cases of Languedoc-Roussillon wine in return for a full ‘Midi card’ (Photo: Sud de France)

The new loyalty card, called the Midi card, which can be obtained directly from Sud de France or at any one of its upcoming tasting events, invites users to collect a stamp each time they attend a Sud de France event. A full card entitles them to receive a mixed case of top-end Languedoc-Roussillon wine, Sud de France said.

Members of the scheme will also receive additional benefits such as speedy entrance to tastings and a double stamp if they bring a colleague with them to events, a statement from Sud de France, the umbrella brand for wine, food, tourism and well-being products from the Languedoc-Roussillon Midi-Pyrénées region, said.

“We decided to create a loyalty scheme not only to make trade and press aware of the full programme of tastings that we run in the UK, but also to reward loyal visitors to our events by offering them added value, as well as a chance to win some of the very best wines now being made in the Languedoc-Roussillon Midi-Pyrénées,” said Isabelle Kanaan, executive director of Sud de France.

Sud de France has also announced the appointment of Eviva Communications to provide PR support for its 2016 programme of wine trade and media tastings.  

“We are very happy to be working with Eviva who have a lot of experience of working with generics and also with the Languedoc-Roussillon Midi-Pyrénées region,” Kanaan commented.

Sud de France’s 2016 events programme begins with its annual Trade Day Tasting at the French Ambassador’s Residence in London on Wednesday 13 April. The tasting will feature over 250 wines from across the Languedoc-Roussillon region presented by more than 35 producers.

Trade and press member wishing to register for the event can do so here. The full programme of Sud de France events in 2016 are as follows:

13 April: Trade Day, The French Ambassador’s Residence, London

Fifth outing for the annual Sud de France Trade Day tasting which will feature over 30 producers showing their wines to the trade and press.

14 June:  Trade Tasting in Bristol

Twelve of the region’s producers will show their wines to members of the trade and press in Bristol and the surrounding region.

20 September: Press Tasting of wines available in the UK, London

It’s the third time this self-pour tasting has been run, showing only wines with UK distribution supplied directly from importers and retailers including supermarkets, independents and online retailers. Independent wine merchants and sommeliers are also invited to attend this tasting as well as press. 

3 October: Sud de France Sommelier Competition, London

Now in its eighth year, the Sud de France Sommelier Competition for sommeliers across the UK puts entrants through a rigorous process to test the depth of their knowledge of wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon. 

20 October: Rising Stars Trade Tasting, London

The Rising Stars are the region’s most highly regarded wine exporters who are looking for UK distribution. At this select tasting, 12 Rising Stars producers will present their wines to buyers and press.