Whilst USA set to become top country for wine consumption by 2008
Friday 28 October, Beverly Hills: Italian wine meets the US cinema star system. The Vinitaly International Award 2005 to Alexander Payne, director of Sideways
Chicago-Los Angeles, 27 October 2005. By 2008, the USA will be the top world market for wine consumption. This was claimed in research by analysis company DataBank carried out during the Vinitaly US Tour, organised by VeronaFiere in Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles 24-28 October - involving the main Italian wine-making regions from north to south of the country - and especially Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, Campania, Molise, Basilicata and Calabria.
DataBank, a specialist in trade sector research, says: “companies must adopt incisive marketing policies designed to counter the growing success of wines from Australia, Argentina and Chile. The quality-price ratio and company dimensions play a fundamental role in marketing policies and future success for wine products”.
The leadership of Italian wines won in recent years in terms of quantity and value must avoid “resting on its laurels”. Especially in a market such as the US, which is still “young”, significantly subject to fashion factors and enjoying continual expansion: overall, between 1993 and 2004, wine sales in the USA have grown from 11 to 23.2 billion dollars.
“Our objective,” said Luigi Castelletti, President of VeronaFiere, “is to turn Vinitaly into the image of Italian wine. Our brand has been on the market for 40 years and we now export the event not only to China, Japan, India and Russia but also to the United States of America with targeted meetings in the main cities: San Francisco, Miami and New York - with trips in 2005 to Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. This equally “exports” the culture, style and flavour of Italian produce.”
These initiatives have already involved participation by more than 1500 operators, buyers, caterers and journalists. Next weekend in Los Angeles will welcome the entire wine community in California with wine tastings, workshops and a Gala Evening in Beverly Hills where Vinitaly will bring together the world of American cinema and Italian wine through the presentation to director Alexander Payne of the Vinitaly International Award 2005 for his film Sideways.
What do some of the leading opinion leaders think about the strategies to follow up in order constantly to increase market quotas and the appeal of Italian wines on the important present and future market?
Sergio Vento, Italian ambassador in the USA, believes in the huge potential of native wines and wines from the south of Italy. “Highlighting native wines,” he said, “is a way to help improve imports and consumption of Italian wine.”
Tom Hyland, one of leading writers about Italian wine and a consultant in training field, said: “Italian wine from the South and the Islands, both white and red, from Vermentino to Nero d’Avola, with a good quality-price ratio is already achieving great success and is undoubtedly a trump card in enhancing the presence of Italian produce on the shelves of American shops and restaurant tables”.
Tony May, of the San Domenico restaurant in New York, one of the best-known Italian wine and food centres in the USA, said: “a fair quality-price ratio for bottles, correct matching between the cost of the wine in relationship to the dishes ordered, together with the search for continual wine innovations to offer clients” are the rules to follow up in catering to promote ‘Enotria’ wines.
Leonardo Lo Cascio, President of Winebow - a company importing Italian wines - emphasises that “Italian bottles enjoy in the USA the benefits of a culture that many Americans love, which greatly attracts them and which they enjoy experiencing through Made in Italy products. Every year, sales trend are up by 3-4%, despite the highly competitive market. Promotion, is in this sense, is fundamental and a factor for success on the market”.
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