Wine Industry Report

Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco, the project launched by the Vivanco family, including the winery, Museum of the Culture of Wine and Foundation, have appointed Robert McIntosh as their representative in the UK. Robert will work with UK importers Bibendum Wine Ltd, to build Dinastía Vivanco’s profile and support UK sales activities.

Pedro Vivanco, and his sons Rafael and Santiago, established Dinastía Vivanco with the aim of “giving back to wine what wine has given to us”. The Vivanco family wish to celebrate the history and culture of wine through the ages, and to support those who love wine like they do through their foundation.

Rafael Vivanco of Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco says “Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco is truly a dream come true for my father and all of our family. We are very proud of the positive reaction we have had from the UK consumers and press that have visited us. The UK market has always been at the centre of the world’s wine trade and it is important that we work closely with the UK trade. Bibendum has done a great job establishing the distribution of our wines and now we believe the time is right for us to have someone based in the UK that can work alongside them and build on this success.”

“I am very excited that the Vivanco family have decided to make this commitment to the UK market,” comments Robert McIntosh. “Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco is a unique project and I will be organising a number of UK events and trips to Rioja this year to introduce the wines and the museum to as wide an audience as possible. The investments being made by this family, and others, in Rioja are testament not only to the enduring popularity of this region to the UK consumer, but also of the confidence in the future. Thanks to Dinastía Vivanco, I believe Rioja will soon be counted amongst the very best wine tourism destinations of the world.”

Robert McIntosh previously worked with Bibendum Wine Ltd. for 3 years as a trade marketer.

In addition to organising bespoke visits for Press, trade professionals and consumers to Rioja, Dinastía Vivanco will be present at a range of events and tastings in the UK in 2006, including the Wines from Spain importers’ event, London International Wine & Spirits Fair and the Bibendum Roadshow.

About Dinastia Vivanco
The Museum of the Culture of Wine in Briones, La Rioja, covering over 9,000 sqm of exhibition space, has been open to the public for 18 months and attracted over 170,000 visitors, way beyond initial expectations. Hugh Johnson, an early visitor, says “There is no other museum of this size, this comprehensive nature, and this aesthetic quality devoted to wine – as far as I know – anywhere in the world” and it has been hailed as “sensational” and “probably the best wine museum in the world” by Charles Metcalf in Wine International.

The first wines to emerge from the extensively refurbished and extended bodega in Briones are made exclusively from the family’s vineyards in Briones and Haro. The Dinastía Vivanco Crianza 2001 and Reserva 1998 are bottled in custom recreations of an 18th Century hand-blown bottle from the Museum’s collection. These wines were launched in the UK in July 2004 through Bibendum Wine Ltd. and today the UK is in the top 3 export markets in the world.

For more information, please contact:
Robert McIntosh
Thirst for Rioja
robert@thirstforrioja.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8699 5205