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‘No wine wank’ for The Guv’nor
Spanish wine company Félix Solís is “trying to stir things up” in the UK wine market by launching a sweet red blend with “no wine wank”.
Called The Guv’nor, the wine has a front label featuring only the brand name, written as though it was stamped on the paper by a typewriter.
“There is no vintage, no DO [Denominación de Origen], it just says ‘vino’ – there is no wine wank,” explained Richard Cochrane, managing director at Félix Solís UK, when discussing the new product with the drinks business.
The wine for The Guv’nor comes from a range of Spanish regions, including Toro, La Mancha and Valdepeñas, with “an oak component” and 18 grams per litre of residual sugar, according to Cochrane, who added that the level of sweetness was similar to Gallo’s highly successful Apothic red blend from California.
Although The Guv’nor is being launched in the UK, and was first shown to the trade at the London Wine Fair earlier this month, it is a “global brand” said Cochrane.
With a recommended retail price of “around £7” and “£22 in a pub” The Guv’nor has “already attracted interest from both the on- and the off-trade,” explained Cochrane, during an interview with db at the exhibition.
Commenting on the launch, he said, “We are trying to stir things up, and you have to innovate and think about the consumer so the retailer and the pub operator feel like they have a solution that will work in this challenging market.”
Although the wine has 18g/l of sugar, it is not being sold as sweet. “It is marketed as a red blend, not a sweet red,” he said.
He also stated his belief that this style of wine, which is a US$500 million category in the US, has great potential in the UK.
“Most of the wine category is pretty dry and most of the drinkers aren’t… just look at the success of soft drinks; I think the blends could do well in the UK.
“It just that the dear old wine industry is hell bent on doing everything dry.”
Finally, Cochrane told db that he was considering adding a white wine or rosé with a similar appearance, which he would call The Guv’ness.
Earlier this year, French wine brand Lamothe Parrot added a new label to capitalise on the growing demand for sweet red blends in the US.
Called Scarlett Dark, the wine has been created to compete with fast-growing sweet red blends such as Gallo’s Apothic, Trinchero’s Ménage à Trois and the Cupcake Red Velvet, which together account for over half of the $500m sector in the US.
Still crying with laughter. Good luck Richard. Bets on if we’re still seeing this in 3 years time?
Still here and going strong!
I drink this regularly in the Marriott in Leeds when I’m there. Goes very well with their steaks. I only found this note trying to seek it out to buy by the case. May not be to everyones tastes but will have wide appeal. Chances of it still being around in 3 years? I’d say pretty high if they can keep the quality level up.
The Gov’nor
Drinking this in rural Andalucía, from the local Mercadona at a fraction of the UK price, & finding it extremely gulpable! It’s marketed as a non-vintage 100% Tempranillo at 14%vol. Slightly different to the UK label, but definitely The Guv’nor by Félix Solis of Valdepeñas.
Is this wine called the govenor in Spain?
Yes, the label in Spain sports a head and shoulders picture of a Mafia-style boss over the title THE GUV’NOR with the subtitle El Mandamas (The Boss) and at just 2.5 Euro a bottle, it’s perfect for a very tasty, very quaffable red.
Hello there all, I had a bottle of this in my local pub with my wife and found it really nice and of course I am trying to find a source in the uk, does anyone a supplier on here in the uk near Manchester. thanks
Gallons of the stuff at Majestic in Sale and Chorlton.
Yup 2.5 Euros a bottle in Mercadona, great slurpy and shows how much profit and TAX we pay in the UK
I agree, I bring back a carful every time i drive up from Spain.
Very sensible too
Majestic!
This is being sold in the Spanish supermarkets for €2.50 a bottle. The wine is delicious and at that price you can clear the shelf!
Unfortunately Marriott hotels sell it for £27.00 a bottle (oh for €2.50) but I’ve got to go with it for a function as it looks about the only red on their list that I can match with pork. The one listed is says the primary grape is Grenache topped up with Tempranillo.
I am currently sipping a glass of this and I can agree that it is very drinkable, not too sweet and a good example of a tempranillo (one of the nicer spanish reds) also great great value at €2.50 a bottle in Lanzarote at Mercadona. I would like a few cases of this back home in Ireland…
You can get it from Tesco in Ireland – the bad news €12 per bottle !
Amazing that my parents are currently drinking this in mainland Spain for under €2.50 yet it is £7 and over in the UK. They certainly won’t be buying it in the UK, way out of their price range.
But it’s certainly still around….