Wine News Archives

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Launches “South Africa Selection by CMB” 17 to 20 September in Cape Town

One of the world’s largest and most respected wine and spirits competitions, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB), launched last week a national competition for South Africa under the global CMB brand “South Africa Selection by CMB.” The inaugural edition will open for entries on 1 June, with judging scheduled to take place from 17 to 20 September in Cape Town.

Says Quentin Havaux, CMB’s CEO, “To head up the new South Africa Selection by CMB, we have appointed Lorraine Immelman, who has founded and run two successful wine and spirits competitions in South Africa since 1997. With almost 30 years of experience in the international wine and spirits competition business, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team.”

Following the success of the Sauvignon Selection by CMB in March 2023 – known as the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon at that time – the decision was taken to establish a national competition in South Africa in 2024.

Quentin continues, “Our vision for the South Africa Selection is three-fold:

1. to develop a national wine and spirits competition which is powered by the well-recognized Concours Mondial de Bruxelles;
2. to create a synergy in South Africa which will promote the country’s wines and spirits to local consumers, and
3. to create new platforms for the promotion of South African wines and spirits in world markets.”

Global Exposure on Local Soil
“Amidst a seeming flood of recent new wine competitions, I believe that South Africa right now needs a global wine and spirits competition of the stature and international significance of Concours Mondial de Bruxelles,” says Lorraine.

CMB offers entrants true value for their entry fees, including:
personalised, usable feedback from the judging panels on every product entered and tasted. This includes an Aroma Wheel generated by AI and a detailed analysis with actionable insights to support marketing campaigns.

CMB’s judges represent a mixture of the best local and international experts including buyers, journalists, oenologists and hospitality representatives, who add real marketing support for awarded products.

A Wine and Spirits Experience by CMB concept has been developed with the opening of Wine Bars and Wine Corners in cities and airports around the world (including Mexico City and Tokyo). These tasting venues are exclusively dedicated to CMB medal-winning products from all competitions and sessions.

The CMB media team gives exposure to awarded products at international wine shows such as Prowein, Wine Paris-Vinexpo, Vinitaly and Guiyang.

The South Africa Selection team will focus on the sustained promotion of winning cellars and sponsors through a dedicated media campaign to promote our winners locally. CMB also adheres to the strict competition rules set forth by the European Union, as well as all CMB competitions and selections are meticulously audited by the Service Public Fédéral belge de l’Economie (SPFE).

“CMB aims to be the most prestigious and the most rigorous wine competition in the world. What we want is to be the most reliable wine competition for producers and also for consumers,” says Quentin Havaux. “We look forward to bringing this competition to your beautiful country, and giving South Africa’s fine wines and spirits a more global presence.”

The inaugural South Africa Selection by CMB opens for entries on 1 June, with the judging taking place from 17 – 20 September in Cape Town.

For more information and entry details, please visit our website, Facebook and Instagram page:
southafricaselection.com/

www.facebook.com/southafricaselection/href=”

http://www.instagram.com/saselectioncmb/”>www.instagram.com/saselectioncmb/

For enquiries please feel free to contact Lorraine directly on southafricaselection@vinopres.com or lorraine.immelman@vinopres.com

Italian Wine Travel Pioneer and Writer Filippo Magnani Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Fufluns Wine Travel Concierge in Italy

Celebrating a quarter-century of excellence, Fufluns Wine Travel Concierge, led by Filippo Magnani, commemorates its 25th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in delivering unparalleled wine travel experiences throughout Italy. As a renowned wine travel expert and wine writer, Magnani has spent decades exploring and documenting Italy’s rich wine heritage, showcasing its diverse destinations and the personalities behind its celebrated wines. This occasion reflects not only the success of Fufluns Wine Tours but also Magnani’s contributions to the global appreciation of Italian wine culture through his writings and curated experiences.

Castello di Monsanto, Barberino Val d’Elsa , Chianti, Toscana, Italia

Inspired by the flourishing wine tourism industry in Napa Valley during the 1990s, Magnani recognized Italy’s untapped potential and sought to elevate the wine touring experience in his native country. In July 1999, he founded Fufluns Wine Travel Concierge, pioneering the path as the first Italian wine travel planner dedicated exclusively to Italy’s rich wine heritage. Named after the Etruscan God of Wine, Fufluns, under Magnani’s stewardship, has built a reputation for its immersive itineraries that seamlessly blend ultra luxury experiences with Italy’s undiscovered gems. Fufluns unwavering commitment to authenticity, quality, and personalization has cemented its status as a leader in the industry, creating the opportunity for people from around the world to engage with the wine regions and people of Italy.

“Reflecting on 25 years of Fufluns Wine Tours, I am filled with gratitude for this quest we’ve undertaken,” says Filippo Magnani, Founder and Supervisor, who oversees a team of ten wine expert guides – all holding WSET or Master Sommelier certifications. “We craft a diverse range of thoughtfully designed wine travel experiences led by a team of knowledgeable wine experts, ensuring an authentic and enriching experience for each guest, from avid wine enthusiasts and collectors to wine schools, wine clubs, and industry professionals such as sommeliers and importers.”

Magnani’s extensive experience in the wine trade, including holding the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma (DipWSET), as a wine writer, and wine travel advisor, has enriched Fufluns’ offerings with depth and sophistication. His and his team’s commitment to excellence and their ability to weave together the cultural, historical, and sensory aspects of Italian wine make Fufluns Wine Tours not just a journey, but a celebration of Italy’s enduring wine legacy.

To celebrate the company’s 25th Anniversary, Magnani and his team are thrilled to debut an enhanced Fufluns website, featuring a range of new personalized, comprehensive, and deluxe wine itineraries throughout Italy. Visit www.fufluns.com to learn more. Filippo is also pleased to showcase a refreshed version of his personal website, www.filippomagani.it, focused on his writings and collaborations, consulting experiences, and career achievements.

In addition, Magnani is proud to announce the launch of a quarterly newsletter, along with a new logo ”A Journey Through Italian Wines”. Featuring captivating insights into Italy’s wine destinations, exclusive interviews with key personalities in the wine and hospitality industry, detailed wine tasting notes, and selected excerpts from Magnani’s personal blog, Tales Behind The Wines, this newsletter aims to further enrich the understanding and appreciation of Italian wine culture among enthusiasts and professionals worldwide.

Furthermore, throughout 2024, Magnani will personally lead tours for various wine club groups and private wine collectors across Italy. These tours, featuring long-standing partners and loyal clients, are a special celebration of Fufluns’ 25th anniversary, allowing Magnani to share the beauty and richness of Italy’s wine regions and producers with those who have supported his journey. As Fufluns continues to innovate in the wine travel space, Magnani’s goal is to strengthen his expert team, further enhancing Fufluns’ ability to offer unique and memorable wine experiences while maintaining the personal touch that has distinguished them in the industry.

Magnani will also be participating in a charity auction as part of The Golden Vines Awards this October in Madrid. For this event, he has created a special auction item: “VIP Experience — Discovering the Iconic Bolgheri”, in which he will personally accompany six passionate donors on a visit to the historic estates of this famed Tuscan region. All proceeds will be donated entirely to the Gérard Basset Foundation.

Source: Fufluns Wine Tours

IWSR Research: Who is winning in the moderation trend?

According to IWSR research conducted in late 2023 across the top 10 no/low markets – Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US – 44% of no/low consumers said they had switched to a no-alcohol drink from another non-alcoholic drink, such as soft drinks, water, tea or coffee. This compares to 29% who replaced a full-strength alcohol product – although this was significantly up on the 2022 figure.

“No-alcohol drinkers generally come from other non-alcoholic beverages, but also now increasingly from full-strength categories,” says Susie Goldspink, Head of No- and Low-Alcohol Insights, IWSR. “There is also an increase in the proportion of no-alcohol consumers planning to increase their no-alcohol consumption.

“Increasingly, alcohol companies see no-alcohol especially as an opportunity for growth. Moderation is an established trend, and no-alcohol products which keep customers within a category – for example, switching beer for no-alcohol beer – or within a brand portfolio – say, switching Heineken for Heineken 0.0 – offer an option to alcohol businesses to hold on to revenue and continue to build brand equity.”

As a result, a number of brand owners across the beverage alcohol marketplace have invested heavily behind zero-alcohol versions of leading brands, or have either acquired or developed ‘pure-play’ no-alcohol brands, to target these opportunities. IWSR’s Innovation Tracker shows that the number of no-alcohol innovations coming to market globally has more than tripled since 2019, with numbers peaking in 2020 for launches of brand extensions as well as new-to-world products.
Consumer attitudes, however, are somewhat different within low-alcohol: here, 40% of those surveyed said they had replaced a full-strength alternative with a low-alcohol product, with 33% switching from another non-alcoholic drink.

“Full-strength alcohol categories continue to be replaced the most by low-alcohol beverages – particularly replacing beer/cider, for example in Spain and Brazil,” explains Goldspink.

“Meanwhile, spirits are being replaced more in markets such as the US and South Africa, where spirits are the most purchased full-strength category.”

IWSR consumer research also suggests that people who don’t currently participate in the no-/low-alcohol category could also be potential targets for brand owners in the future.

“More than half of non-consumers of no/low are either moderating their alcohol intake (26%) or don’t drink alcohol at all (28%) – offering a further untapped opportunity for producers of no- and low-alcohol brands,” explains Goldspink.

“There is also evidence from our recent consumer research that in many markets, no-alcohol products recruit consumers who aren’t drinking in a certain occasion or switching between both. These might be ‘Substituters’ (those who switch between alcohol and no-alcohol in different occasions) or ‘Blenders’ (mixing alcohol and no-alcohol in the same occasion).

“In both cases, these occasions offer an incremental opportunity for a brand owner to sell a product to a consumer who otherwise would not have been buying one of their products.”

Meanwhile, the emergent segment of functional beverages – ‘alcohol adjacents’ with active ingredients such as CBD, adaptogens or nootropics that claim to offer health benefits, stress reduction, mood alteration and pleasure – is beginning to attract younger consumers (Gen Z, Millennials) in particular.

According to IWSR data, the purchase of cognitive enhancers has increased over the past year, driven by growth in Australia and the US – where up to 29% of Millennials have made purchases in the category.

“CBD and other nootropic/adaptogenic products could provide a future challenge to alcohol consumption, particularly with younger legal drinking age consumers who are more likely to participate in this category,” says Goldspink.

“This generation participates in a broader repertoire of beverages in this space, as well as generally still consuming alcohol. As such, for brand owners looking to shape their future category, it’s really all about offering consumer choice to suit different occasions.”

The growth of the overall no/low-alcohol category gives brands the opportunity to cater to a much wider group of consumers. In many ways, no/low can be thought of as a solution to a gap in the market, rather than as a threat to the incumbents.

Source:IWSR

Duero Wine Fest 3rd Edition – Part l

This morning Tim Atkin MW provided an overview of the “Present and Future of Duero Wines” at the opening ceremony of the “Third Edition Duero Wine Fest” which is held this year in Salamanca Congress Palace, Spain.

This year’s motto “Building a value proposition from the territory” brings together foremost national and international trade experts, along with local and national politicians.

For two days, the Salamanca Conference Center will be hosting presentations by academics, wine journalists, and include wine tastings led by sommeliers. These presentations, tastings and round tables all focus on the Duero as one of the most important wine rivers in the world.

Other wine personalities speaking include Sara Jane Evans of Decanter magazine – Spain, who will provide her view of the Duero, along with Gergely Szolnoki, a wine tourism expert, who will speak on current global trends.

The congress also includes a series of debates such as wine marketing, wine tourism and the impact of global warming on viticulture, highlighting the importance of the wine sector for the economy of Castilla y Lion.

Watch this space for updates…

Chianti Classico Collection: Exploring the Charms of Italy’s Iconic Wine Region – Filippo Magnani

Recently, the wine world’s oldest consortium celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 1924 Chianti Classico established the first wine consortium with its headquarters in the historic Stazione Leopolda,Florence. On February 15th and 16th, a centennial celebration provided an opportunity to reflect on the collective narrative of Chianti Classico and pay tribute to the true soul of the consortium: its producers. Over 200 of them came to present a total of 773 different labels available for tasting. The annual event itself began as the Anteprima de Chianti Classico in 1993. Now it is known as the Chianti Classico Collection.

As in previous years there were in-depth sessions focusing on the Gran Selezione category, which was added 10 years ago to the existing Annata and Riserva. At the time this was a first for Italian wine and viticultural legislative history. This new group of stringent regulations account for only 6% of Chianti Classico production and result in exceptional wines that have given the international market a new quality benchmark. The initial 33 Gran Selezione labels have now grown to an impressive 213 today. They are a perfect example of the continued growth in sales and reputation of the ‘Black Rooster’ denomination. Over the last three years sales have exceeded production volumes by 4% and the average price has increased 13% since 2021.

The event also highlighted the strong presence of female figures employed by wineries in the region of Chianti Classico. This is a theme that is being increasingly talked about in the press and Chianti Classico is leading the way with more women taking on leadership roles. Currently the percentage of women employed by Black Rooster wineries is almost half (44%), many of them holding senior management roles, and when it comes to marketing and sales managers women represent the majority at 60%.

Of course, there continued to be much discussion around the fairly new additional Geographic Units approved by the consortium’s Member Assembly in June 2021. These UGA’s are now printed on all labels where relevant and distinguish 11 different subdivisions with unique natural attributes (soil composition, microclimate, position of the vines etc) and human factors (cultural background, local traditions and community ethos). These distinct units are San Casciano, Greve, Montefioralle, Lamole, Panzano, Radda, Gaiole, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Vagliagli, Castellina and San Donato in Poggio. The idea of showing the name of the municipality or village on the label is meant to spark both curiosity and recognition from the increasingly high numbers of consumers who would like to better understand the micro territories of Black Rooster wines.

The Chianti Classico Collection would not be complete without the Black Rooster’s other main product, Olive Oil DOP Chianti Classico. During the event participants had the opportunity to taste the most recent harvest of oils from 33 producers. The 2023 vintage is complex with aromas of fresh grass, artichokes and almonds followed by a distinct arugula and peppery quality on the palate with a long finish. As in previous years, the 2023 oils contain exceptionally high levels of polyphenols which are essential both to preserving the characteristics of the oil and providing high nutritional value.

A blend of history, wine and timeless beauty

Beyond the vineyards, the region of Chianti Classico is renowned for its picturesque landscapes and medieval hilltop towns like Greve, Radda, and Castellina. They offer a glimpse into Italy’s past with their ancient castles, churches, and narrow streets. The territory still preserves evidence of many past cultures. The earliest documentation of the existence of a wine-producing district dates back to the 13th century with the “Lega del Chianti”, formalized between Radda, Gaiole and Castellina and branded with the famous Black Rooster which, after many glorious years, became the Official symbol of Chianti Classico wine in 2005. The rooster symbolizes the spirit of the territory; strong and elegant, lively, and proud. Its crowing marking a new day.

The region itself is perched on a plateau at altitudes between 200 and 800 meters, mainly covered with forests of oak, chestnut, pine and cypress trees. Now held in the arms of its two historic capitals, Florence and Siena, Chianti Classico was a place loved first by the Etruscans, then by the Romans, and was a battlefield of bitter disputes in the Middle Ages.
It has been one of the most popular destinations for wine enthusiasts for centuries and even now producers are eager to welcome visitors offering world-class hospitality. With such a high density of wineries, the region is a true oenological paradise full of castles and ancient abbeys where fine wines are matured, world-famous wineries alongside small and no less prestigious family-run estates, traditional cellars and architectural masterpieces. Producers understand the importance of hospitality which brings great economic value, diversifies income, and creates an effective means of communicating values and enhancing the distribution of their wines. From curious wine enthusiasts to collectors, guests are drawn to the famous winemaking names of Chianti but can also discover exceptional hidden gems. Consequently, wineries work together with the tourism sector to create personalized and authentic wine and culinary experiences.

As always it was a true pleasure to once again meet so many passionate producers who exemplify the culture and philosophy of Chianti Classico.