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 Pernod Ricard may be behind Diageo as a top leader of Spirits in the world, but India has also seen the Australian label Jacob’s Creek as the largest selling single imported wine brand. Also owning the well-known Rioja brand, claimed to be the biggest selling label from Rioja (pronounced Ree-o-kha) by the company, the launch is expected to bring this label to the forefront with Indians loving Rioja as a brand with certain Brag Factor ( bragging at a cocktail party that they love Rioja!). Of course, the long distribution arm of Pernod will help move at a faster pace in promoting the wines.
Also helping the cause of Campo Viejo would be the fact that Tempranillo has found ready palates in India with Charosa and Grover –and soon Sula, bringing out Tempranillo varietals and blended wines that people have liked. Rioja is subdivided into three sub-regions- Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. The winery brings in fruits from all the three sub regions with different climates and soils and blends to the specification of the winemaker.
Christian Barre, CEO, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Spain, who was in India to launch the label at Su Casa Restauant in Bandra, Mumbai on May 24, believes Indian wine market will continue to grow at 15% and double every five years (According to delWine, the growth last year 1916-17 has been slightly under 13% despite several problems faced by the importers). Present government's increased focus on tourism, young population with good disposable incomes and an evolved palate will make India a strategic investment market for wine producers, says Barre, perhaps hinting that Pernod-Ricard might have a plan that goes beyond just importing these wines. The Nine Hills Winery in Nashik started in 2006-07 by the company has not done very well so far, but the Principals may have some grandiose plans that have not been reported yet.
Barre is very optimistic about the long term prospects of the Indian wine industry and told TOI that the global wine industry is growing at an average of 1-2 % with some established European wine regions even registering negative sales. China and India are regions of future for global wine makers as the two countries have been registering double digit growth in terms of wine sales.’
"Tourism is being given a strong push by the present Indian government. As the sector becomes a strong contributor to nation's GDP and brings in many European travellers, there will be a need among many European brands to be here," he said optimistically.
His advice to foreign wine producers is to be patient and think of India as a strategic investment. "We need to stop looking for immediate gains and wait for the market to emerge and mature. Its potential to emerge as one of biggest wine regions is what's attracting global winemakers to make a beeline here," he says.
Surprisingly, Barre believes that Indian wine producers should target the beer segment and project themselves as premium casual drinks. Statement that in Europe, wine and beer compete with each other as everyday drinks needs to be dissected and digested carefully. In India, where the demand for beer is over 200 times, Kingfisher Beer had taken the approach with Four Seasons Wines and even brought out Kingfisher wine brand for wines imported from South Africa and even promoted them through its subsidiary United Breweries. It helped neither the Kingfisher wines nor Four Seasons Winery, owned by United Spirits Ltd that Kingfisher Wines did not find takers and were discontinued. Since Diageo bought united Spirits, this winery has been languishing.
Pernod Ricard Group purchased in 2005 the Riojan winery that was started in 1959 and introduced the Campo Viejo label in 1964, and renamed it Domecq Bodegas in 2005. Since 2010, Pernod Ricard Bodegas has been an active member of Pernod Ricard Winemakers, an entity within the Pernod Ricard Group that specialises in the production and worldwide distribution of top quality wines.
Since the Group is known to be very aggressive in marketing and promotion, consumers and wine aficionados can look forward to several occasions to taste and enjoy the Riojan beauty during the coming months.
Subhash Arora
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