©2007, The Birmingham Post
At the last International Wine Challenge, the third most successful country in terms of medals was Portugal, scooping four of the top trophies. Wine writer and founder of the competition, Robert Joseph, considers that, in terms of wine, "Portugal is the sleeping giant of Europe, and in the past 5 years, has started to wake up".
Robert was speaking on behalf of Wines of Portugal, to an invited audience of trade professionals at Bank Restaurant. He fundamentally believes "that the wine industry is dysfunctional. There are simply too many wineries and too much wine".
"The problem in the UK is that the average spend per bottle is as little as £3.86. People simply don't like to pay for expensive wine".
The downside is "that the UK can no longer claim to be at the centre of the wine world (that distinction probably belongs to New York), and the market is stagnant. Regrettably, the UK is no longer the aspirational place to be, as once the two corporate giants, Tesco and Constellation, are removed, there is not much else going on".
Ever-increasingly, the UK market is dominated by the big brands, such as Hardy's Blossom Hill, Gallo and Lindemans, with the lion's share of sales going to the leading multiples.
Within this depressing context, how does a winemaker or wine region break through the barrier to achieve consumer recognition? This dilemma is faced today by Portugal, the world's sixth largest wine producer, but who rank eleventh in terms of UK imports, quite a way down the pecking order.
In the past, Portuguese wine was consumed by an undemanding domestic market, and the styles were unacceptable for export. At one time, the reds were chewy and astringent, and the whites flabby and oxidised, but with modern technology and know-how, the reds are now bursting with fruit and the whites fresh and vibrant. While there has been a quantum leap in quality, the labelling and packaging has been lagging behind.
Robert highlighted three different ways of packaging a wine. The first is by grape variety and, while Portugal can boast in excess of 200, in terms of marketing, this would be a disaster. Most UK wine drinkers, at a push, could probably identify 5 or 6 international varieties, but few, if any, would be impressed by the white Alvarinho, Bical or Encruzado or the red Aragones, Touriga Nacional or Trincadeira Preta.
The second method is by Appellation, but in order to do so, you require a number of accomplished winemakers within an identifiable region producing similar wine styles from a limited number of grape varieties. Perhaps the most successful, which immediately spring to mind, are Rioja, almost a byword for cask-aged Tempranillo, or the classically structured wines from Medoc, based on Cabernet/Merlot blends.
Again, Portugal has a problem. The Designations of Origin (DOC), Bairrada, Ribatejo or Estremadura, would neither be recognised nor provide a definitive wine-style. Yet there are one or possibly two exceptions. Without question, the first is Douro, a DOC which happily co-exists within the Port demarcation, but relates solely to table, rather than fortified wine.
Created as recently as 1979, the table wines were previously seen as a by-product, made from inferior surplus grapes discarded by the Port Houses. Nonetheless, dedicated pioneers have demonstrated the potential, and there is now a collection of award-winning winemakers producing wines with a clear regional identity.
The second possibility is Alentejo. Originally considered a white wine region, the hot, dry climate allowed a number of progressive winemakers to create New World style reds, but using native grapes often blended with Syrah (Shiraz) or Cabernet. Again, there is a distinctive style and a significant number of top-quality producers to reinforce the identity of the DOC.
Unquestionably, by far the most successful method of marketing a wine is to create a brand. Robert defined this "as a name that is so strong that it entices a customer to buy it". Moreover, "it must be consistent and have a label that the customer trusts".
Portugal has demonstrated in the past that it can produce a successfully branded mass market wine. Although virtually known in its country of origin, and derided by critics, Mateus Rose captured a generation and is still popular today, despite losing some of its lustre.
The irony is that the makers Sogrape almost dissociate themselves from the brand, yet are instrumental in the revival of leading estates within Vinho Verde, Dao, Douro and Alentejo. Each are labelled individually, using their own local estate name, playing down the Sogrape role which should really be the major selling point. Clearly, this approach flies in the face of logic, as the future of Sogrape and, indeed, Portuguese wine, lies in marketing their wine as a brand.
Luis Pato Old Vines 2005 Bairrada (£7.95 Bentley's of Ludlow, 01584.875520) Although he has performed wondered putting Bairrada on the map, Luis Pato is intent on establishing his own brand. This superlative white is lemon-fresh, given added interest with minerals and spice. It has the weight to cope well with sell-seasoned or sauced fish or chicken dishes.
Quinta de Soalheiro 2005 9£10.85 Bentleys, Bennetts of Chipping Campden, 01386.840392) This is Vinho Verde, but not as you know it. Using the much-vaunted white varietal Alvarinho, this is light, crisp and lemony, with perfect balance and harmony. Ideal as an aperitif, it's made for shellfish or white fish.
Quinta de la Resa Reserva 2003 Douro (£17.99/£23 Bennetts/The Oxford Wine Company 01865.301144, Peter Watkins 07760 177381, Oddbins). A simply stunning red, bursting with hedgerow fruit and menthol. It's full-bodied and spicy, yet stays fresh with the blackberry fruit supported with robust tannins, evolving into a complex finish.
As a footnote, undoubtedly, the most successful way of selling a wine is through celebrity endorsement. Despite being tricked by Gordon Ramsay into describing his wine as vinegar, Cliff Richard's Portuguese Vida Nova smashed all sales records on its premier release in Tesco. Congratulations!