Some large consumer brands strive to have the same product at the same price in all markets; others tweak their packaging or their price to adapt to local necessities. What do wine brands do? Our panel looked at three different wines purchased...
...in supermarkets in nine countries on three continents to answer that question.
Gallo Turning Leaf Chardonnay For many consumers, not only in the United States, a Chardonnay from Gallo is one of the first bottles that turned their attention from beer to wine. For that, they have done the industry a service. The new packaging, that raised eyebrows at Kendall-Jackson, is topped with a screw cap in many markets, which makes service by the glass considerably easier. Without being ecstatic, our panel was pleased not only to note consistency across the samples from the five markets where we were able to find the wine, but also that at 13.5% by volume it was pleasantly balanced and not overly oaked. It would appear that the developments in Sonoma are now being heard in the Central Valley.
Trapiche Malbec Although Trapiche is the smallest of Peñaflor’s three largest brands, the other two being Santa Ana and Michel Torino, it is widely considered the quality leader. Be that as it may, Argentina as a category has not penetrated all export markets the way Chile has, the United States and Canada being notable exceptions. Further, while Malbec has long been widely viewed by the press as the quintessential Argentinean grape varietal, consumers have been slower to follow that lead, preferring in many markets to remain faithful to the better known alternatives, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. That said, Trapiche’s work in the vineyards is now well reflected in this wine’s fruit.
Gonzales Byass Tio Pepe There are few products that speak as ambassadors of their region of production the way Tio Pepe does for Jerez. The first registered trademark in Spain, it is now sold in 100 markets worldwide and is for many the incorporation of what sherry should be: light, pale and dry – or Fino Muy Seco as they write on the label. The Gonzales family, who have owned and managed the brand since its creation in 1844, lowered the alcoholic content to 15%, wrote the grape varietal Palomino clearly on the label and repackaged the product a few years ago to reflect its affinity to wine. They clearly saw that what consumers associate with Sherry was not entirely conducive to their marketing efforts.
...in supermarkets in nine countries on three continents to answer that question.
