Prowein: everything about the rendezvous with the world of wine in Düsseldorf

As happened in recent years, for Argentina (and also for other producing countries) Prowein It is the most important fair in the world. With 6,900 exhibitors from 64 countries and 61,500 visitors from world trade from 142 countries. This explains the strong national participation, with more than 150 wineries, almost double that of Chile, its main competitor. 90 establishments with wines from Argentina (Wofa), 30 others with the Federal Council of Investments (CFI) and several of the largest wineries with their own stand; all located under the same flag 9 called "Overseas", which included non-European countries such as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, the United States, Australia, the New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Bolivia, Lebanon and China, among others.

Infobae went to Düsseldorf with other international media and participated in the fair from 17 to 19 March, interviewing the main players in the sector and world leaders, in order to understand the global context in which Argentinean wines should grow and consolidate.

One of Prowein's most active visitors this year has been Edgardo M. Malaroda, ambbadador of Argentina in Germany. "Here the fairs are designed to generate business units in the main cities: Frankfurt (cars, books and meat), Hanover (IT and industry), Düsseldorf (wine and fashion), etc. Prowein has now replaced Vinexpo ( Bordeaux)., France) and the London Wine Fair (UK), with a BtoB concept, where we will do business while others are more fun, "said the ambbadador.

The position of Argentina is important. If the space is big, it can serve more people (read the markets) at the same time, and not spoil the opportunities. As happened on a booth where five Israeli buyers approached without an appointment, but they could receive them and ended up sealing a new affair that did not appear in the plans of the winery.

Another key to the fair is the strict control of visitors, who must register in advance, certify that they are of the product and can buy the ticket from a code. With this, they filter a lot, and visitors are only interested in work.

Today, all wine companies go through Prowein, say the protagonists. "It's the only fair, yes or yes, because the world is there, it's the meeting point of wine. Vinexpo no longer serves – says a Bordelaise – and less now that he moved to Paris; It's not going to go. The magic of Vinexpo was the show mounted by the Bordeaux for themselves. This charming parts in the Castles it will be lost in the French capital, "said Hervé J. Fabre (owner, Bodegas Fabre).

"When no one knew us, we broke in and had a market share 4.3%, but today we are at 2.7%; very far from our main competitors. With this peak (4.3%) achieved between 2011 and 2012, we missed the opportunity to add $ 500 million in exports and we would now have 5 percentage points. share; but we are in the middle, "said Alberto Arizu (president of Wofa and owner of Bodega Luigi Bosca).

"We are still small, a limited category that is not yet positioned." Argentina needs to double its global share in the short term and could triple it in the long run, "said José Alberto Zuccardi (owner, Bodega Zuccardi). He knows that it is possible to offer products that stand out in the world, such as malbec and emerging styles of new cultivated areas. In addition, everything is up for grabs in the high end, although it takes more time because you have to demonstrate the aging capacity of the new national wines. Pepe Zuccardi has 25 years of presence on the main international exhibitions, always close at the foot of his stand and motivated by the pleasure and pride of presenting his wines to the world.

Argentina is struggling to stop being a niche even though it can compete with anyone on a par. But the problem is not a problem of quality but of confidence, because the big buyers of the world know the attributes of the current wines and the most remarkable aspects, but they lack confidence in the whole chain. It is not only a question of making good wine, it is necessary to generate an image of confidence and coherence which allows a steady growth, like Chile.

The trans-Andean country is the mirror in which every local exporter wants to reflect. paradoxically considered the main competitor, simply because of an original issue. Although wine proposals from both countries are badyzed together, they are much more complementary than it seems. But the Chileans, thirty years to come, have another exercise, with other prices and many free trade agreements. They have a different wine management, where sellers even have access to profitability levels by label, with a lot of information. The focus is not on the relationship, but on cold figures and commercial performance. While in Argentina everything is more folkloric.

How Argentinian wine is sold around the world

The United States continues to be the main destination of Argentine wines, significant efforts are being made to consolidate the positioning and the role of Wofa is becoming fundamental. "The current strategy is to work with educators to put us on the map, with the visit of master sommeliers and masters of wine, we aim to provide them with quality information.They are surprised at the many business opportunities that arise from being at the head of these educators ", explained Juan I. Guzmán (Marketing Director of Zuccardi).

"China is a rough diamond", describes Pablo Aranda Hynes (Asia expert of the Peñaflor group). "We must keep in mind that Asia is a" global trend "for producers in both the New World and the Old World, although for the moment Argentina is a stable market without growth, but with opportunities to exploit it ".

According to the expert, the strategy is to get people to talk about Argentina, about bubbling meat or football, to say "I want too". And there are opportunities to take off, because consumers have a very thought follower and when a trend is marked, they follow it. And whoever does not have Argentine wines will want to have them to start selling them, precisely because they're starting to talk about it.

But obviously, it is not so easy to plan for the Asian giant without suffering the consequences, as was the case for Bordeaux wines, whose sale fell by 35% because they bought a lot of wines for a long time but did not take them (for cultural reasons) with the respect they deserved. Thus, the market is developed between the very dear French and the very cheap Chinese. But for all these years, they have incorporated university students from around the world, thousands of young professionals who are beginning to understand wine better and do not have to pay a lot to consume better.

This new understanding of mid-range wines represents an opportunity for Argentina, just at the moment of landing.
For its part, Southeast Asia is like Latin America – it saves distances – with many differences in development between countries. There is Singapore with a GDP of 80,000 dollars and Laos with only 4,000 dollars, which means different possibilities (Indonesia and its Muslim majority), but with capacities of several million inhabitants (Vietnam with 90 million euros). The most developed markets are Japan and South Korea.

The presence of the protagonists is essential to mark the differences, the owners of wine cellars and the renowned winemakers are the most requested by the visitors.

At the Catena Zapata booth, several new employees worked for customers around the world. But seeing Laura Catena (owner) in action, conveying her pbadion for wine was very motivating and important to them.

One of the most sought-after wines is the River Stones Malbec 2016, Argentina's first 100-point Parker wine. But there are only 5,000 bottles for everyone and it will go on sale, as well as the other two Malbec and Chardonnay from Parcelas of Adrianna Vineyard, favoring the best customers.
The other popular Prowein wines are those of Sebastián Zuccardi, looking to the future, fresher and without relegation. Tags appreciated by those who buy and consume a lot of wine from all over the world.

Although Luigi Bosca is not looking for new markets, he was not only the best meeting point with his global customers, but also a great opportunity for Pablo Cúneo (oenologist for over a year) to have the feeling of what they are looking for and expect from them. Argentina wines on all markets.

Unanimously everyone wants to take advantage of the Malbec flag, because of the importance this implies in the long run; Defend him, promote him and multiply him. In terms of football, do not waste time wanting another Messi, but the others are playing for him. In other words, in the short term, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Criolla, mixtures or Torrontés, among others, can be improved.

And beyond the diversity offered by Argentina, there are more privileged styles than others. As the current trend to make wines more fresh and with less wood. Daniel Pi (Chief Winegrower, Peñaflor Group) has a global business vision, fueled each year in this type of fairs. "Now we want to be good with white wines, explore Costa & Pampa's marine influence (Chapadmalal, Buenos Aires) or the high-altitude reds in the Uco Valley (Mendoza)".

The challenge now is to find out what is the "next big thing of Argentina ", the next great opportunity: we must take advantage of the virtuous process that is taking place between the talent formed with a better worldview and the last three extraordinary harvests, which will allow Argentina to become a category apart, and what is the level of wine production, in other words, to show and communicate the qualitative revolution that the industry is going through now so that people can rethink it.

"We are currently facing a new challenge because consumers are less loyal, and the millennium generation are becoming more and more important in the category of wines. This implies that there are many brands with shorter life cycles (5 to 6 years) and that to sell the same product you have to invest more and more. That is to say, it is sometimes better to kill brands than to keep them. There are so many stocks and attacks from many places that it is necessary to change quickly, "said Martin Navesi (Global Marketing, Peñaflor Group).

Another current commercial phenomenon that challenges the concept of traditional winemaking is that of "autonomous mark"This is not to say that the value of" heritage and prestige "will disappear, but everywhere there are consumers waiting for new wines, and so there must be cellars that want to develop them, renew themselves launch labels permanently.

Wineries should attract attention and show that Argentina is back. There is an excitement to spare, but additional investments are needed to create this category. There is no doubt that this is a long-term trajectory, but the country has all the potential, and it may be its new "momentum" to regain the world's attention.