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| Diadema Champagens with Svarowski Crystal labels |
I was really foxed when I came across Diadema champagne exhibited by an Italian company at an Indian wine show last December. Champagne must be produced and bottled in the approved areas in the champagne district to earn the coveted title. It was at the ArezzoWine where I met the owner of Villa d’Olmo selling Diadema wines, Dr. Alberto Giannotti. He clarified that he sourced the best quality Champagne he could buy under his specification and have it bottled and imported to Italy where he labelled it. Apparently this is permissible according to the appellation laws. One learns every day in the wine business!
Diadema Diamante
Diadema Diamante is perhaps world’s only champagne that is labelled with real diamonds, making it a collector’s delight and a gift item for those who have everything the Ooperwalla can bestow as worldly possessions.
The labels and vintage years on the Diadema Diamante are set in white gold on silver labels. The labels are produced by the Florence based, 640-year old jeweller, Opificio Orafo Torrini, perhaps the world’s oldest jeweller. The firm is known for designing exclusive and exquisite private labels including a gold pendant ‘Life is’ and ‘La vita é’ inspired by Mother Teresa.
All Diamante labels, duly certified by Torrini, use 4 carats of high quality diamonds. The vintage year has 40 of them; the big D of the label carries 32 well set diamonds while the lower part of the body, ‘iadema’ has smaller 51 nuggets. Cost? Well, if you need to know, you are perhaps not the right client. But for the curious window explorers on the Net each Champagne bottle of Blanc de Blancs or Rosé would set you back by €8,000 (Rs. 520,000) only.
The former is produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes selected from Grand Crus vineyards while the Rosé uses all the Champagne grapes- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. All are vintage champagnes.
Champagne with Swarovski Crystals
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| Diadema wines, olive oil and champagnes |
Diamante sounds too expensive? Diadema has a more practical, affordable version too. In fact, all wines come with labels using Swarovski crystals, making it an interesting souvenir that does not need to be displayed under lock and key but can be used as a functional or a decorative item.
The label plate, on which the big D appears in the shape of a gold based setting, is the result of dipping in near 24-carat gold. These champagnes retail at a relatively affordable (by Diamante standards) €140 which is still cheaper than the ubiquitous Dom Perignon which once popped means the end of €180.
For special customers, the winery may also make customised back labels, making it a great giftable product with residual benefits. Imagine giving a gift to a politician or a bureaucrat or their wives? Happy Diwali? Wedding gift? Occasions are plenty with a choice of Diamante or Swarovski on the label.
The Personal Touch
I was quite impressed and touched when I walked into their stand at the ArezzoWine and was presented with a bottle of red wine in which the back label indicated that it had been specially bottled for me. This is a USP of the company, as they use special software and presses in their own plant. Names, company logos, dates etc. can be picked up directly from the website and transported on to the label.
The concept makes a great gift idea with the likelihood that the person will like to display the bottle, adding to the brand publicity value of the label.
Diadema Diamante Super Tuscans and White
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| Giulia Giannotti $ the Diadema Super Tuscan |
For those who do not like the bubbles, there is the red Super Tuscan made from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Fruity wine with soft tannins make it a wine suitable for most palates.
There is also a white wine which is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier to give it a slightly spicy touch.
Both are more expensive than their equivalent un-decorated version of other producers because of the packaging costs but are reasonable if one considers the gift value of a luxury product.
Villa d’Olmo
Villa d’Olmo has been producing wine since 1735, says Giannotti adding, ‘the quality had been quite mediocre faceless wine for bulk buyers until 4 years ago when we made some serious changes to improve the quality at the vineyard and winery level.’ The quality and packaging of Champagne helped change the portfolio profile as well as the market positioning, according to him.
‘Today about 30% of wine sold in volume is champagne though in terms of value it competes neck to neck with our other wines which account for the balance 70% of the market by volume,’ says Alberto. 80% of the production is exported with Japan at 15%, being the biggest customer according to Dr. Giannotti. While specialty enotecas, up scale hotels and restaurants remain the biggest customers in Italy, corporate gifts and specialist wine shops are the principal buyers in Japan.
What do they do with the bottle when they empty the contents in a restaurant, I ask? Most people like to carry the bottle with them as a souvenir, says Alberto. With a Champagne bottle costing over € 210, one can well understand.
In India, it is difficult to imagine many people willing to pay duties as high as 420% to be afford such luxury wines. But duty free shops could make a pretty penny selling the Champagne, perhaps in a set of the permitted quantity of two-three bottles- one in the regular Brut version and the other in Rose’. That should give a run for the money to the Blue Label scotch which it seems, looking at the people queuing up at the airports’ arrival lounge, to be selling like hot cakes.
There could also be a niche market for hotels and their duty free restaurants to label them for their special customers in the room or the restaurants. For the other corporate gifts, the importers would have to find the via media to completer the sales.
Diamonds are for Ever
The Richie rich who can afford to buy the Diamonte label remain connected to the company for ever. Every year they are invited to stay at the luxurious hotel owned by Giannotti family and taste their latest vintage, while hob-knobbing with those belonging to their class.
Subhash Arora |