Known by different names throughout the world, it was once a very popular beverage in Argentina. Nowadays, a small number of wineries are seeking to revive it. The domestic market is responding positively. The grappa business is starting to grow thanks to some Argentinian wineries. The appearance of new grappa brands, though slow, has been constant in the domestic market. Although companies are targeting mainly the domestic market, they do not rule out the possibility of exporting the product. Most of them prioritize quality and obtain good results, selling at high prices.
Markets
One of the first luxury grappe to come on the market was Norton’s, which was obtained from organic Malbec grapes, an extravaganza in silver packaging. Luis Steindl, Chief Operations Manager at Norton, remarked in reference to this product that “we are not exporting but we are selling well in the national market. We occasionally sell some at the duty-free shop in Ezeiza, but that cannot be considered as exportation. Strictly speaking, we are not getting into a foreign market.”
“Our main market is Buenos Aires. In Mendoza, good results have also been achieved, and people show interest in new things. They look for innovation in the market, disregarding the price,” he added.
In Steindl’s opinion, business results have been positive. “The product has gained great acceptance. There was only one winery that sold grappa before us. This means that there was no market; for that reason, I think that the results we have obtained are impressive, particularly if we bear in mind that our products sell at high prices. In September we are launching the new harvest products, and out of 3,000 bottles, approximately 500 have already been reserved.”
In turn, Juan Carlos Caselles, director of SinFin Winery, the latest to launch a grappa label bearing the winery’s name, emphasized: “Our goal is to capitalize on our wine distribution channels, both in the domestic and international markets.”
“This is our launch and we have mounted an effective campaign that includes billboards, which is an unusual practice for the launch of this kind of products. So far, it has found great acceptance and achieved satisfactory outcomes. The campaign was produced entirely locally by Ballester-Milia Studio, García-Betancourt Photography Studio and features the actress and model Amparo Alcaráz,” Caselles pointed out.
Walter Hibling, director of Sol de los Andes Inc., whose Grappa Aniapa has been internationally awarded, said that his company works in both domestic and overseas markets. “Currently, we are in Tierra del Fuego, Santa Cruz, Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and Misiones. Moreover, we export to Switzerland, Germany and Brazil.”
As he analyzed the market response to this product, the director of Sol de los Andes said that “this year, there has been a growth in sales as a result of the latest international awards obtained by Aniapa in Destillata 2009 and 2010, together with a marked tendency to consume this type of beverage; I think this is a very interesting alternative which will boost the spirits industry in Argentina.”
Bressia Winery is another pioneering producer of Argentinian grappa. Marita Bressia, Export Manager of the winery, commented that “for the moment grappa is only sold in the national market; however, we are exploring the possibility of exporting this product.”
“In our case, grappa was born as a product out of the necessity of filling a niche in gastronomy that, at that moment, was not occupied in the national market. Our grappa has been on the market for seven years and aroused interest among other wine producers, which led to the development of various alternatives of this gourmet product for the consumer,” she concluded.
Other companies are trying their hand at making grappa, such as Catena Zapata, which is testing an innovative red grape grappa.
Written by Mariano Zalazar for Winesur.com
Translation: Inglés del Vino
Source: http://www.winesur.com/top-news-2/grappa-here-to-stay
