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Torrontés, an enchanting and irresistible white

After the Chardonnay,  Torrontés is the second most exported variety of white wines from Argentina. Since 2019, the main markets that buy Torrontés in bulk from Argentina are: Rep.Czech and Sweden that have made just over half of the volume, followed by Denmark and Canada which add up to 30% more. While those that buy it in the fractional modality are: Brazil and the United Kingdom, with a participation close to 40% of the volume in almost equal proportion, followed by the United States,Canada, Japan, Switzerland and Russia that represent another 30%. A value for money wine It is interesting to analyze the average export prices of Argentine Torrontés wine, since in recent years the average price in the fractional modality has slightly been decreasing  while in the bulk modality the increase has been taking place to around 20% on average. Notwithstanding the foregoing, currently the average price of bulk Torrontés is almost a fifth of the average price of what is sold fractionally, which can be of great interest to buyers of white wines in the form of bulk in order to expand its commercial base. Brazil is the exception as the imports of bulk wines are  prohibited and only wines in bottles,tetra-brick or bag-in-box up to 5 liters can be imported. The latest report from the National Institute of Viticulture  (INV) indicates that bulk shipments stand out with respect to the fractional ones. In recent years bulk shipments have been increasing and in 2020 exceeded fractional shipments. 64% of the total varietal wines exported in 2020 and produced with the TORRONTÉS variety was in bulk, 310% higher than what was exported in 2010. FOB value increased by 151% in the same period. Torrontés, the white wine with an Argentine stamp For those who do not know it, Torrontés is a variety of  cultivated aromatic white grapes that produces a dry wine with a distinctive Muscatel flavor and an explosion of floral and sweet aromas. Although there are three varieties, those from Mendoza and San Juan, with more aptitudes for consumption in fresh, and the one from La  Rioja, which is the most cultivated and the one that expresses the best qualities for the elaboration of fine wines, very fruity and dry at the same time, highlighting those from the Valley of Cafayate IG (jump) A variety born from a mix between Moscato de Alejandría and Criolla Chica, only cultivated in Argentina and today it represents almost 5% of the cultivated area of ​​the country with vines for vinification. Torrontés is a light yellow wine that occasionally develops golden and green hues. It is characterized by its aroma of flowers such as rose, jasmine and geranium, with occasional appearance of spicy effluvia. Although its aromas anticipate a sweet wine, its flavor reveals a fresh acidity. It is an excellent companion to fish and shellfish, as well as to the regional cuisine of the Argentine Northwest, especially the empanadas and the typical locro. It also pairs very well with spicy and well seasoned food such as Thai, Indian, Chinese and Vietnamese dishes.

Bulk Argentine Malbec achieved a resounding victory at the IBWC competition awards

The International Bulk Wine Competition has become a benchmark for the bulk wine market, and Argentina this year had the highest awards from the jury Argentine Malbec turned out to be the most valued by the judges of the International Bulk Wine Competition, this takes place within the framework of the World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam in which 15 wineries associated with the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber were part of it.Malbec obtained a total of 10 medals, 7 gold medals and 3 silver ones, out of the total of 40 awarded wines. This represents 25% of the awards, which marks the great potential of our country’s flagship variety in the bulk modality.In second place, Cabernet Sauvignon appears with 5 medals (2 gold and 3 silver), followed by Tempranillo with 4, all gold. Other red varieties also recognized were Merlot, Syrah and Bonarda with 2 medals each.Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were the winners among the whites, winning 4 and 3 awards each respectively, highlighting the silver medal that Argentine Torrontés won.Among all the named varieties, there is a total of 33 medals out of the 40 awarded by the international competition. A total of 140 samples from more than a dozen countries were submitted.“it can be clearly interpreted that Argentina has an exportable offer that covers the most valued varieties of wines and managed to stand out with its Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Merlot and Torrontés. We are demonstrating that the history of Argentine bulk wines with outstanding quality has just begun ”, said José Bartolucci, president of the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber. The winners An Argentine Merlot won a grand Gold medal, the highest prize: it belongs to Juviar harvest 2021.Argentina won a total of 15 medals, 1 grand gold, 8 gold and 6 silver. Thirteen of these wines correspond to companies associated with the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber (CAVG): Kineta (Bonarda), Juviar (Malbec), Lost Valley (Malbec), Clop Wines (Malbec), Araujo (organic Malbec), Galeano & Antonacci (Malbec) and Héctor Meli (Malbec); and five silver awards: Borbore (Malbec), Juviar (Bonarda), Amadeo Marañón (Torrontés) and two medals for Wenfor (Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec).Spain had a very good performance, achieving second place with a total of 13 medals, Italy ranked third with 7 medals (1 Grand Gold, 1 Gold and 5 silver), while Chile closed the list (1 gold and 1 silver), Australia (1 gold), South Africa (1 gold) and Romania (1 silver).The IBWC is the only competition in the world dedicated to bulk wines. The samples have been tasted by an international jury, made up of 20 members from 11 different countries; renowned international buyers and members of the international press are part of it too. Among those worth noting are Juan Carlos Sancha, Robert Joseph, Felicity Carter, Jean Luc Favarel, Polly Hammon and Silvia Anthonj, among others.

Argentina Bulk Wine Online (ABWO) is born, a business web portal exclusively for Argentine bulk wine.

This original web portal that allows “matching” between international buyers of bulk wine and exporting wineries from Argentina, was created by the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber (ABWC) with the aim of improving business opportunities at a global level, offering a very complete and easy-to-use online tool. The Covid -19 pandemic radically changed the way of doing business. Virtual tools became more important with the decrease in face-to-face contacts at fairs and business rounds. Although today many of the face-to-face events are being resumed, virtual business spaces -due to the speed and ubiquity they allow- continue to boom. Up to date with current trends, the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber (ABWC) has created a business web portal specialized in the Argentine bulk wines www.bulkwine.org.arThis has been possible thanks to the financing provided by the Program for Competitiveness of Regional Economies (PROCER) – Institutional Strengthening of the National Ministry of Productive Development which through non-reimbursable contributions (ANR) helps to enhance competitiveness and promote the export capacity of MiPyMEs and value chains financing projects, consultancies, training, acquisition of equipment and technical assistance. How does Argentina Bulk Wine Online (ABWO) work? The ABWO brings together the updated exportable offer of the companies associated with the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber. These bulk wine suppliers have to load into the system information such as types of wine, analytical characteristics, quality, volume and price, as a result, they come into direct contact with buyers according to the searches that the latter have made in relation to their own market needs.Alejandro Ballarini, ABWC manager and project manager addresses that the ABWO is a safe and reliable virtual tool that shortens distances by responding to the challenge of global business dynamics.It is also known that some work is already underway on the evolution of the ABWO business web portal towards an application for smartphones, which will make it even more widespread and easier to use for those involved in the global bulk wine trade.To access the portal, member companies must request the respective login to the ABWC, complete their data, upload the exportable offer of bulk wine and thus begin to promote their products. As for the foreign buyers, they must send an application to the Chamber in order to be registered and then they will receive a password that will allow them to enter without restriction.390 / 5,000Translation resultsThe AWBO will soon be promoted at international fairs such as the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) in California (USA) and in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), as well as with the Argentine Foreign Ministry through seminars that will be given to commercial attachés of the different Argentine representations abroad in the main target markets for bulk wine. About the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber (ABWC) We are a private, independent and non-profit entity, made up of manufacturing, exporting companies related to the international logistics and commercial management of bulk wines in the Argentina; with the purpose of contributing to the origin and consolidation of sectoral development policies, defending the common interests of the partners and promoting the export of Argentine bulk wine to foreign markets.Created in 2018, the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber was appointed in 2020 by the Argentine Viticultural Corporation (COVIAR) as the Executing Unit of the Program for the International Trade Promotion of bulk wines from Argentina.With the aim of achieving worldwide recognition of the excellent wines that are marketed in large volumes, the ABWC is aligned with the international promotion actions carried out by Wines of Argentina (WofA) – COVIAR’s executing unit for the international promotion of Argentinian fractional wine- in order to contribute to the global success of the national wine industry through the construction of the “Vino Argentino” brand.

Fourteen Argentine wineries at the World Bulk Wine Exhibition

Fourteen bulk wine producing and exporting wineries associated with the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber, will participate on November 22 and 23 of the 13th edition of the World Bulk Wine Exhibition, the most important bulk wine fair held in Amsterdam and which is once again organized in person, after the restrictions imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic.Thanks to the support of the Federal Investment Council (CFI), this technical-commercial mission that will seek to position Argentina once again among the largest bulk wine suppliers in the world, could come true. There are fourteen wineries that this time will travel to the most important bulk wine fair in the West, and expectations are high.After a year in which Argentina showed a good performance in terms of exports of varietal wines that improved sales in value, companies are expectant about the possibilities that this new meeting with international buyers from all over the world will bring“The business plan is to show potential customers and regular customers the qualities of our wines and to show the continuity of the business. We have participated in the 13 editions of this great fair and we consider that this new participation will help us handle the new challenges in the face of the changes that are coming ”, analyzed José Bartolucci, president of the Argentine Bulk Wine Chamber, who will not only attend on behalf of the Chamber, but also of his own company Sul Mineira.Regarding the markets that are attractive at the moment, José Bartolucci assured that Argentina is interested in the markets of Europe, China, the United States and Canada. “We are also focusing in discovering new markets in Asia where our wines have great potential” he said.And although this year there was more interest for varietal wines than for Generic ones, Bartolucci indicated that for the next year “we hope to be competitive in all our available wines, according to our nature and the macro-economy of Argentina.”Guiroy agreed with Bartolucci that the most interesting markets today for Argentina bulk wines are the United States and China.Finding new “niche” marketsRoyal Mount SA, one of Mendoza’s most important producers and exporters of bulk wine, will also be part of the fair. The Royal Mount group has 250 ha of its own, the rest comes from a group of more than 130 producers, who have been working with them for more than 10 years.This year, during the last harvest, the winery produced 23.5 million liters and has closed export contracts for 17 million liters. Tomas Baistrocchi export manager of the company, commented on the WBWE that expectations are very high, “especially in relation to face-to-face meetings, after almost two years without being able to be in direct contact with our clients, this is a great opportunity”. Interested in continuing to work with the United States and the United Kingdom on varietal red wines, Baistrocchi said that at this point it is possible for Argentine bulk wine to open many niche markets in those directions.Regarding how he sees the business for 2022, he assured that there is a strong interest in varietal red wines of medium to Premium quality. “With our workhorse,” Malbec, “we have been able to enter new markets and reach new clients, so later we will be able to incorporate other varietals,” he stressed.Gerardo Meli export manager of Bodega Héctor Meli agrees that “currently in Argentina, we are offering higher prices than normal but there is great doubt about the future of the exchange rate, so today we can only compete with wines that are very competitive in prices or niche varietals ”.Having great expectations of knowing the real needs of the bulk market in new face-to-face meetings with buyers, Meli indicated that they are in the process of finding more business opportunities in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Nordic countries and Germany.Searching for opportunities for organic winesExport manager Sebastian Librici From Bodega Araujo, located in Villa Atuel San Rafael, has high expectations in being able to place his organic wines at the Amsterdam fair. “Our farm in Villa Atuel has already obtained organic certification and the next harvest will be fully certified. We believe that this will give us competitiveness and will allow us to get closer to our objectives to internationalize our supply of bulk wines that today is mainly destined for the local market. ” He explained.Aiming to increase its export share, Bodega Araujo is already working with France and is now targeting the United Kingdom and Northeast European countries with its wines.

Syrah, a variety with great enological and commercial potential in Argentina

Syrah is a French strain that is emblematic of Australia but also grows well in Argentina, especially in Mendoza and San Juan valleys where most of the cultivated area is concentrated.One of the most appreciated varieties in the Rhone Valley, Syrah (also called Shiraz) comes, as far as it is known, from the Middle East, from the Shiraz area, an ancient Persian city. Some also locate its origin in Sicily, more precisely in the city of Syracuse.Arriving in Argentina along with the rest of the so-called “French varieties” at the end of the 17th century, it has stood out as one of the most precious red varietals both for domestic consumption and for the export of bulk wines.Sensory characteristicsIn Argentina Syrah wines achieve very intense colors, deep ruby red with violet shades. Its main characteristics are the aromas of cinnamon, black pepper and raspberry, forming an aroma that consumers describe as “spicy”). By aging in oak barrels, or in contact with staves, the Syrah develops new tertiary aromas, such as earthy and tobacco. With aging, notes of black olives and truffles can also appear.Cultivated area and productionPresent in most of the wine-growing provinces of Argentina, the Syrah registered a total of 11,797 cultivated ha in 2020. Mendoza has the highest amount of Syrah in the country, (69.5%), followed by San Juan (22.1%) and the rest of the provinces with 1,026 ha .. After Malbec, Syrah is among the varieties that have grown the most: Syrah developed 3,882 ha between 2000 and 2020.In 2021, 110,443,404 kilos of grapes were produced, which represents 5.06% of the total production in Argentina.In Argentina the consumption of this varietal is important. last year 74,166 3.0 hectoliters of Syrah wine were sold within the domestic market, which represented 3% of the varietal wine consumed in Argentina, ranking seventh among the most consumed varieties.The third most exported red in ArgentinaIn 2020, Syrah as a single varietal was the 3rd exported red varietal (after Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon) and concentrated 3.2% of the volume and 1.2% of the total FOB value of the varietals, according to statistical data from the Argentine National Vitiviniculture Institute .Meanwhile, Syrah exports from January to June 2021 total 36,256 hl and were destined for the following countries: Syrah exports 2021 (Jan-June) Country of destination Hectoliters FOB price (thousand of US$) UNITED KINGDOM 10,713 856 CANADA 10,024 692 CHINA 8,608 452 BRAZIL 1,706 503 UNITED STATES 458 131 COLOMBIA 454 140 RUSSIA 442 115 URUGUAY 370 102 NETHERLANDS 335 72 CZECH REPUBLIC 323 34 OTHER DESTINATIONS 2,822 978 TOTAL SYRAH 2020 36,256 4,073  (Temporary data) Meanwhile, the main destination countries for Syrah in 2020 were: Hectoliters FOB price (thousand of US$) CANADA 35,618 1,612 UNITED KINGDOM 18,300 2,426 CHINA 14,621 582 BRAZIL 3,147 978 CZECK REPUBLIC 1,583 81 UNITED STATES 1,564 411 RUSSIA 1,069 310 DENMARK 808 69 URUGUAY 580 161 COLOMBIA 515 179 OTHER DESTINATIONS 4,816 1,517 TOTAL SYRAH 2020 82,622 8,325  After analyzing the exports of recent years, Alejandro Ballarini, manager of the Argentine Chamber of Bulk Wines, stressed: “in 2018 we used to export half a million liters of Syrah in bulk, in 2019 we exported 2.6 million liters, in 2020 3.7 million liters. This year we estimate that we will do very well with this varietal, since in the first half of this year we added close to 3 million liters”.In the last few years, the largest buyer of Syrah from Argentina has been Canada. “Argentina sells its largest volume of Syrah to two countries: China and Canada, in a price segment that ranges from US$ 0.30 to 0.40,” Ballarini explained.However, so far this year the United Kingdom has surprised us all, appearing as a good player with 864,000 liters purchased in all price ranges of US$ 0.30 – 0.40, US$ 0.40 – 0.50 and it has even bought 120 thousand liters for up to US$ 1.“There is an Argentine exporter that has consolidated an export strategy from 2018 to the present in the export of Syrah in the category of more than US$ 1, especially to the Danish market. It is a niche business with items of 300 to 400 thousand liters per year at a good price. But as our qualities are excellent, due to the climate and sanitary conditions, we are committed to continuing the development, especially in countries like China, eager for this recognized varietal” the manager of the Chamber said.