New Age is the ‘Cool’ Top-Selling White Wine in ‘Hot’ Argentine Category – PRNewswire

NAPA, Calif., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ — The continued growth of Argentine wine  imports to the US (more than 40% annually over three years) has made it the  most important “import to watch” in the wine  ndustry.

That New Age White is the largest-selling Argentine white wine in just-released Nielsen Research data on Argentine wines sales in the US makes it a “hot brand” in a hot category. This does not surprise Argentines, who say that Americans have finally discovered what bar patrons and club-goers in Buenos Aires and the rest of the country have long-known – New Age is the most unique, flavorful, and versatile Argentine white wine on the market.

Direct Wines Selects iMarketing LTD As Agency Of Record For All Online Marketing Initiatives – PRNewswire/ iMarketing LTD

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ — iMarketing LTD (www.iMarketingltd.com), a full-service online marketing agency, today announced that it has been selected to implement an integrated online marketing program for Direct Wines, supporting the company’s expansion in the US and increased emphasis on online sales**. Through affiliate, search engine, and CPA marketing, iMarketing will be focused on generating more cost-effective orders for Direct Wines, increasing site traffic and sales growth with improved ROI.

Editorial: Malaysia pact boosts Asean trade strategy – New Zealand Herald

And then there were seven. New Zealand’s latest free-trade agreement, with Malaysia, was accompanied by the customary enthusiasm from politicians and business representatives. There was much talk of a gateway into Asia, and the Prime Minister described it as “a significant step forward in relations with Malaysia and further evidence of our economic integration with Asia”. Michael Barnett, of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, said it was a great opportunity for businesses if they chose to take it. Clearly, this is a welcome development, but its importance lies as much in its actual signing as in the likelihood of any dramatic change in trade between New Zealand and Malaysia.

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Equally, it underlined the growth in Asia of a similar sentiment. Formulating an agreement with Malaysia was, obviously, always going to be far simpler than the ground-breaking deal struck with China last year. But that does not mean there were no complications. For the first time, Malaysia has, at New Zealand’s insistence, agreed to include environmental and labour-law co-operation clauses in such a pact. New Zealand, for its part, had to bow to Muslim Malaysia’s demand that alcohol-related products, notably wine, be excluded

Did you know that wine is produced throughout Latin America? Chile and Argentina have been able to successfully break into the international market but they are by no means the only players in the market.

A few months ago Sophie Kevany, a journalist for Decanter based in Lima, contacted me and explained she was writing an article on South American wine harvests.

[Courtesy of http://www.robgroh.com/maps.htm]

I was immediately interested due to a focus of her article being on wines from countries other than South America’s traditional producers. Her research has yielded a incredibly informative article, which you can access through clicking here.

In Brazil sparkling wine exports were up 18% in value for the first three months, with much of the wine going to America and Germany, Wines from Brazil said

Overall exports were also positive. Brazil aims to export US$6m this year, with US$2.3m already confirmed for January to April.

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At the higher end there was also positive news. In Peru, Tacama ? which produces wines in the $10 to $40 bracket retail – said export values were up 10% in the first quarter.

Click here to access Sophie Kevany’s article in its entirety

Click here to check out Decanter.com — a great resource for keeping up to date with developments and new trends in the wine industry

Click here to follow Decanter.com’s news feed on Twitter

Southeast Asia is home to many consumers with rising levels of income. When income rises and a given society modernizes or evolves so do its tastes and preferences.

This is currently going on in the greater Asia region as we speak. Add the extra element of a ever more interconnected global economy and the pace of change is truly incredible.

Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have a combined population of roughly 180 million people. These countries represent a diverse mix of different elasticities, levels of development and traditions.

Malaysia — For instance the majority of Malaysians are Muslims who in accordance with their religious practices do not drink any alcohol. However even in this context a great potential wine market exists.

For starters Malaysia is home to about 28 million people, of which 2/3 are Muslim and therefore do not drink alcohol. The remaining 1/3 still presents a sizable market of about 8-9 million people, greater than the combined markets of Singapore and Hong Kong, two already very developed wine markets.

Second, ethnic Chinese in Malaysia are unarguably one of the wealthier segments of Malay society and are also coincidentally the largest consumers of wine in Malaysia. As members of the upper-echelons of society they unknowingly serve as status symbols for people to emulate as they aspire to move up the social latter.

This great article I have just stumbled upon at the China Wines Information Website, shares some good statistics.

Singapore – Wine market breaks down as follows: 10% sparking wine, 65% red wine, 25% white.

Thailand – According to the New Zealand government which published these statistics, consumers in Thailand lack detailed knowledge about wines and have a unfounded, preconceived notion that the only “real” wine is red wine. At the moment wine makes up about 20% of the alcohol consumed in Thailand every year. About 83% of the wine consumed in red. A major challenge for those trying to break into the Thai market will be educating the consumer about white wines, which in many instances would accompany Thai foods better than red wines.

Vietnam – Most Vietnamese do not drink grape wines because they have yet to acquire a taste for it. Wine is a relatively new product to the average Vietnamese person. Therefore most wine demand within Vietnam comes from expatriates, tourists and a few Vietnamese of the upper classes who have acquired a taste for it.

The importance of using Singapore as a hub for serving all these wine markets is highlighted in this article from New Zealand.

“It is important for New Zealand wine exporters to consider leveraging on Singapore’s position as a regional distribution hub for wines by developing partnerships with distributors who have strong regional distribution networks.“

Wine For Asia (WFA) 2009, the most comprehensive international wine exhibition in the region, returns to Singapore from 22 – 24 October 2009 with the promise of another bumper event.

An exciting exposition that help you expand your footprint into Asia’s burgeoning wine market, WFA 2009 offers a one-stop opportunity to keep abreast of the latest wine offerings, complete with a myriad of first-class business, educational and networking opportunities and lifestyle pursuits. Exhibitors and visitors can look forward to three days of non-stop business, networking and learning opportunities.

Come feel the pulse of wine business in the fast-changing wine scene in Asia!

Click here for more information on Wine for Asia 2009!