‘Viticulture puts together what I consider to be transcendent’: Wines of Argentina’s VP on the trade

Argentina’s wine industry has been influenced by many leading women. In an interview with the drinks business, Wines of Argentina’s vice president Claudia Piedrahita reveals how the sector has evolved to encompass sustainable practices right through to how it has cultivated its reputation for quality and diversity.

Q: How has your role in the sector developed over time? Describe where things began for you and how it has led to where you are now.

A: I look back in time and I still can not believe the path I’ve gone through and the great – yet hard – possibilities life has given me. I do not come from a traditional family or had an easy background to begin with, so I’ve made my own way by taking every opportunity and working really hard and with great passion to be where I am now.

I fell in love with the world of wine 20 years ago when I first visited Mendoza. Soon enough I moved here and settled in Luján de Cuyo, with the strong goal to work for the wine industry. But it wasn’t easy at the beginning; I knocked on many doors that remained closed for quite a long time.

My first opportunity in the wine industry was given by a smart, hard-working woman at one of the most renowned family brands in Argentina, and that was an incredible experience I still take with me. A couple of years later, I had the chance to work for another relevant, small and ultra premium winery, where high standards and long term vision were the biggest learnings I had.

Finally, when I began working at Casarena eight years ago, I got the opportunity to play different roles in the winery until I took over as CEO. That changed my life completely. It is a huge challenge and responsibility I undertake everyday with love and strong commitment to success. Luckily, we put together a highly professional and passionate team, aiming to truly represent the essence of our region through honest, elegant and pure wines.

I have an MBA so I come mainly from the business field, but I also have a more humanistic approach. Viticulture puts together what I consider to be transcendent: from the care for the land and the environment, to the human development and the positive social and economic impact our industry has, not to mention the culture and knowledge behind every bottle and every glass.

Q: Argentina has been an incredible example for sustainability, research and advancement as well as premium wine. Explain a little about how you have witnessed its reputation gain recognition.

A: Argentina has been an example of how a ‘virtuous circle’ can be developed in any activity. Acknowledgment of foreign markets, research on global demand trends, massive investment in vineyards and technology and positioning Malbec as the flagship varietal of Argentina have been some of the landmarks in this outstanding transformation.

Nowadays when we travel to other wine markets we realise the quality of our wines is undeniable, no matter the winery, the style or the region where the wines come from.

When we go through a sustainable certification process, for instance, it is interesting to see that our practices are already very natural, not only because of the geographical and climatic conditions of our country, but, more importantly, due to the mindset of most of our agronomist or winemakers who already have a more sustainable approach.

The Argentine wine industry has become very aware of the importance of sustainability, and wineries have taken decisive action not only to preserve the environment, but also to benefit their nearby communities. Our wines are definitely making their contribution for a better world. At Wines of Argentina we are working on a comprehensive sustainability program for Argentine Wine called ‘Sustenta-Vitis’, made possible by AL-INVEST Verde with financing from the European Union. We seek to have a positive impact on the wineries of our country, contributing to deepen the communication of sustainability as one of the features of Argentine Wine.

Q: Equality, diversity and empowering female leadership have all become things that the Argentine wine sector has led the way with and become known. How have you personally witnessed how things have changed?

A: Female leadership in the wine sector is simply the result of Argentina’s wine industry evolution. Today we have leading women all along the wine value chain: CEOs, winemakers, agriculturists, export managers and hospitality managers. I think it has been a natural development and it shows that talent in Argentina makes no gender differences.

Q: Tell us about any initiatives that you have been involved with that have helped to assist move the wine sector forwards in Argentina.

A: I’ve been on the board of directors for different wine institutions in Argentina. I have been collaborating with Wines of Argentina (WofA) for quite some time now, first as a director, then as treasurer assisting with administrative and financial issues, and more recently I became the vice president of the institution. This journey has helped me get in touch with plenty of key players within the wine scene and to know the needs of the wineries in depth, taking active part in the definition of the promotion strategy in the main destinations for Argentine wine. I am convinced that collaborative work is key, so we have created a series of teams and committees to address different challenges of our industry.

Q: As an organisation, in what ways would you like to continue to play a fundamental role in supporting and upholding the reputation of Argentine wine on a global scale. Describe any elements that you would like to implement for the future.

A: Argentine wine must continue being a synonym of quality, reliability and sustainability. Consumer behaviour and global markets are in constant change and our challenge is to consolidate and deepen the presence of the Argentine category linked to those values. I aspire to make my own contribution in that field together with the Wines of Argentina team; we are confident that sustained work added to the great consistency and prestige of our wines will take us far.

Argentina has already developed a reputation on a global scale, with Malbec as the calling card. Now the important thing is to keep this in a defying context for the wine market and to know how to react to the new consumer trends who drink less wine during the week, who seek healthier lifestyles, opt for e-commerce, etc.

There are a series of opportunities for Argentina to explore in different directions in order to further consolidate our wines. We will keep the focus on education and promotion, showing different styles, regions and the diversity of varieties the country has to offer apart from Malbec. We must reinforce the work done so far and be prepared for emerging markets that still do not discover Argentina nor Malbec. Carrying out market studies and strengthening the contact with the trade through wine fairs are key.

There’s a global trend for consuming a reduced quantity of wine, but of increased quality. In this segment, Argentina has an advantage over Old World producing countries since Argentine wine has a reputation for being value for money.

Many markets are prioritising sustainability and environmentally friendly products, organic, biodynamic wines, with less alcohol. Argentina has a lot to offer to meet these particular needs.