Ramón Bilbao taps into growing 50cl bottle trend

Rioja producer Ramón Bilbao is tapping into the growing trend for ‘less-is-more’ mid-week drinking by rolling out a new Rioja Reserva in a 50cl bottle.

The new three-quarter size bottle, which is available at The Co-op (RRP: £7.00) is part of the producer’s ‘El Viaje de Ramón’ range that was launched for the off-trade last year to take consumers through the “progressive, innovative side of Rioja”, it said.

The range comprises the new Rioja reserve and a 75cl ‘clarete’ pale pink Rosado (RRP £8.99).

UK Manager Kirsty Loftus said Reserva was an important category for Rioja, accounting for 22.4% of all Rioja imports to the UK, almost double that of Crianza (according to stats from DOCa Rioja, November 2018). The brand is one of the fastest-growing Rioja bands in the off-trade, growing 29% (Nielsen), she added.

“[It] is a proven stepping stone towards the more premium wines from the region,” she said. “Our ‘El Viaje de Ramón’ range combines our passion for innovation and meeting consumer needs – be it for pale pink rosé or a mid-week drinking format – and is a key tool to recruit new consumers to explore everything Ramón Bilbao, and Rioja, has to offer.”

Loftus said the company was fortunate to own quality vineyards at altitude in Rioja Alta and older vines that were “perfect” for wines that need ageing.

“We want to make sure that the quality of the fruit is enhanced by time in barrel, not overwhelmed by it,” she said.

Ramón Bilbao is owned by one of Spain’s largest family-owned drinks companies, the Zamora Company, and is distributed in the UK by Enotria&Coe.