California Wines launched the two-day occasion, which ran from 31 October, in an effort to pave the best way for brand new export alternatives and provides consumers and importers ‘unprecedented entry’ to the state’s wines.
The occasion featured masterclasses led by two distinguished wine educators, Elaine Chukan Brown and Kelli A. White, in addition to walk-around wine tastings and networking classes.
Patrons and importers from 26 international locations had been amongst a hand-selected group chosen for this primary occasion. These attending represented ‘an estimated $10 billion-plus in wine gross sales yearly’, mentioned Honore Consolation, vice chairman of worldwide advertising on the California-based Wine Institute.
As wine gross sales skyrocketed in the course of the world pandemic, California wines struggled to maintain up with rising demand in overseas markets.
To that finish, the Wine Institute has begun a brand new marketing campaign to spice up California wine exports. It’s a part of the Institute’s 10-year technique to extend US wine export gross sales to greater than $2.5 billion by 2030.
California accounts for a major majority of US wine exports at current. But with simply 3% of California wines exported yearly, representing $1.47 billion in export gross sales, there may be loads of room for development.
Demand ‘very robust on the premium stage’
In a post-pandemic market, Keith Kirkpatrick, purchaser for UK-based Roberson Wine – winner of the US specialist class on this yr’s Decanter Retailer Awards – mentioned demand for California wine is ‘very robust on the premium stage for the perceived basic varieties from California, like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Syrah’.
There have been additionally entry-level to mid-range wines out there to style in the course of the occasion, held at Napa Valley Marriott Resort and Spa.
Richard Masterson, wine purchaser for C&C Group, which incorporates UK-based suppliers Matthew Clark and Bibendum, mentioned, ‘We’re seeking to strengthen our California vary and canopy many various elements of the market.’
Masterson mentioned he was impressed by what he had tasted. In comparison with what he remembers from earlier expertise, ‘the wines are extra restrained, have extra freshness,’ he mentioned, ‘which is thrilling.’
Consolation mentioned, ‘California is the fourth largest producing wine area on the planet, however we export simply 3% of our wines’, which she defined means ‘the world isn’t seeing an correct snapshot of the vary of high quality wines out there from California’.
Additional emphasising the potential for California wines, Consolation famous, ‘France exports simply over 17% of their annual manufacturing, and of that, lower than 20% is bought within the US. Which means they’re promoting 80% of their exports in markets all all over the world, which, to me, reveals there’s a huge alternative for California wines.’
One of many challenges going through the roughly 4,200 wine producers in California is native demand.
‘The overwhelming majority are small to mid-size producers, and since we’re within the largest wine-consuming market on the planet in California, there may be extra demand than will be glad. So, producers should select to construct their enterprise internationally,’ Consolation mentioned.
