Viña Santa Rita gets new UK distributor

Santa Rita Estates’ flagship Viña Santa Rita brand will be distributed to the UK off-trade through Conviviality Plc, the Chilean wine company has announced.

Viña Santa Rita will be distributed through Conviviality Plc in the UK off-trade with immediate effect (Photo: Santa Rita Estates)

The core range of Santa Rita wines, including key brand 120 Santa Rita, along with Santa Rita Medalla Real, The National Gallery Series and Tres Medallas wines, will be supplied to the UK off-trade through PLB, Conviviality Plc’s off-trade arm.

The PLB group will also distribute other tactical Santa Rita brands along with Wave Series by Carmen, although the main focus will be on the core range, a statement from Santa Rita Estates said.

Viña Santa Rita is the number one-selling wine in both the domestic Chilean market and in Ireland.

“Viña Santa Rita is an extremely important addition to our South American portfolio of suppliers,” Andrew Shaw, Conviviality group wine buying director, said.

“The heritage, scope and universal quality of Santa Rita wines speaks for itself, so we are incredibly honoured to be working with these brands in the UK off-trade.”

Terry Pennington, export director Europe for Santa Rita Estates, added that the move would help to grow the Viña Santa Rita brand’s profile in existing off-trade channels, as well as establishing new ones.

“The British market continues to evolve and to keep pace with developments the move to Conviviality is an exciting one for Viña Santa Rita,” he said.

“PLB and Bibendum have an exceptional portfolio of high quality and loyal customers in the off-trade and, working as a team, we are very much looking forward to expanding our business both into existing and new channels.”

Established in 1880, Santa Rita is one of Chile’s oldest and most respected wineries. It is the top selling wine brand in the off-trade in Ireland and as 120 Santa Rita/ Gran Hacienda is the top selling premium wine brand in the restaurant trade in Ireland and the UK.

Santa Rita owns more than 3,700ha of Wines of Chile Certified Sustainable vineyards in Limarí, Casablanca, Leyda, Maipo, Colchagua, Apalta, Maule, Rapel and Curico.

Brands under the Santa Rita Label include: 120, Secret Reserve, Reserva, Medalla Real, Floresta, Pehuen, Triple C and Bougainville. The top wine is Casa Real. 

Santa Rita Estates comprise four wine brands from Chile: Santa Rita, Carmen, Sur Andino and Doña Paula from Argentina.