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News
France maintains image but Spanish sales expected to rise
The results of Sopexa’s 2016 Trade Monitor have revealed that while the trade still sees France as the world’s most prestigious wine producer, sales of Spanish wines are expected to rise.
The Trade Monitor is the collected two-year forecasts of 1,100 members of the international trade – importers, wholesalers and retailers – and how their clients and customers view wine.
According to their responses, France remains the most popular wine-producing country with 94% of respondents having French wines in their portfolios.
Italy was represented in 80% of portfolios and Spanish wines in 76%.
Chile was the most widely referenced New World wine country, followed by Australia and the US.
As well as being the most widely referenced wine country, France was still held in the highest esteem and considered the most successful wine country across a variety of criteria, especially by Asian respondents.
French wines were also those most commonly cited for “special occasions” but it was those of Spain and Chile which were thought to be the most “attractively priced” as well as being wines “for every day”.
Spain in particular was singled out as a country whose wines are tipped for greater success in markets around the world.
Forty per cent of all respondents – and 50% of those in South Korea, Russia and Canada – said they were expecting an uplift in Spanish wine sales by 2018.
In five out of seven markets the outlook for an increase in Spanish wine sales is more positive than it is for French or Italian wines.
François Collache, commercial director of drinks at Sopexa, said: “The attraction of Spanish wines and their anticipated success across a number of markets is down to their dynamic, versatile offer, including easy-drinking wines for the everyday and a relatively diverse range catering for different market channels. In addition, the offer comprises strong brands which drive their quality image.”
Suk Young Chung, director of Sopexa Sout Korea added that Spain was regarded as, “excellent value for money, a savoury taste appreciated by Koreans that can be related to the Japanese word ‘Umami’ (5th taste), the warm, welcoming image of Spain and an increasingly popular style of cuisine. Spanish wines also have a certain novelty factor compared to French, Italian and Chilean wines already available on the market.”