StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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43 StateWays Q www.stateways.com Q September/October 2014 give Chile a unique selling proposi- tion," he says. "Most sales are still Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardon- nay, but now that more Pinot Noir is planted, and planted in the cooler areas, it is doing well, as are red blends and dry rosés. Look for interesting va- rieties, often from old vines, such as Carignan, Cabernet Franc, even dry Riesling starting to make some noise." In his portfolio, Challacombe is most amped for his Apaltagua "Costero" sparkling wine and an impressive Cabernet Franc from Maquis winery "that is complex, delicious and more accessible than most Chinons cost- ing twice as much." He's also tackling on-the-rise Uruguay, working with Marichal Wines. "It clearly is still an emerging category with little demand, but the quality is quite good and they have a unique grape in Tannat. It is a long-term project, but it is an exciting country that is making great strides with each successive vintage," he says. Chilean wines are in the spotlight at sleek, niche New York retailer Puro Wine. "Interest in New World wines is increasing—not as fast as we like, but it's growing. This mar- ket is very hard since the U.S. is a wine producer and we have to com- pete with California, Oregon and Washington," says general manager Franco Dagnino Macari. "The good thing about our store is that the mar- ket share here is upside-down com- pared to the actual market. In Puro Wine small producers sometimes sell more than the typical large wineries. It all depends on how much they use this platform to promote their wines in the U.S." Partnerships with retailers have proven boons to brands like Tri- vento. Its Amado Sur Malbec blend, up 23% from last year, features grill- ing themed tie-ins and collaborations with grill guru Steven Raichlen and his BBQ University. Additionally, Santa Rita's global marketing initia- tive, "The Moment is Yours," is bol- stered by the brand's second annual "Elevate the Tailgate" activation, highlighting Santa Rita's role at sta- dium parties around the country. Vine Connections' Ramkowsky says one of his company's main ob- jectives is to ensure that retailers have dedicated sections for each coun- try. "While this is less of a problem today than ten years ago, it is still very common for there to only be a South America section. One program we have is to offer retailers to reprint a Chile and Argentine sign for their stores. Another program is creating a 'New Chile' section in their set. This is to help early adopter retailers a chance to be ahead of their com- petition, those who are only offering Concha y Toro, San Pedro or Mon- tes," he says. "Most of our initiatives focus on the category, not just the producers. The idea is to continue growing the size of the pie." Though it is a Chilean wine, EPICA's latest effort is a 2013 Malbec from Argentina. Concha y Toro's Carmin de Peumo Carmenere, renowned as an ultra-premium of- fering from Chile. Casillero del Diablo Devil's Collection from Concha y Toro is another well- known, high-end wine from Chile. Fairly new to the market is Anderra, the product of a partnership in Chile between Constel- lation brands and the Baron Philippe Rothschild. Concha y Toro's Argentine sub- sidiary, Trivento, features a full lineup of charac- teristic varietal wines. Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the top superpremium wines from Chile.