ITALIAN WINE DEFINITELY APPRECIATED BUT IT MUST BE PUSHED WITH MORE BUSINESS ORIENTED PROMOTIONS: VINITALY, THE MOST IMPORTANT EXPO AND ORGANIZATION OF THE ITALIAN WINE SECTOR, SUPPORTS PRODUCERS IN JAPAN

Vinitaly, the most important fair-organization for Italian wine, is investing in the Japanese market and in preparation for “Vinitaly Japan” (Century Hyatt Hotel, Tokyo, 27 November) is multiplying its presence in Japan with a preview in the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo and the signing of a commercial agreement with Isetan, the Japanese distribution chain specialized in fashion and niche food products.

The recent presentation of “Italian Wine Day”, organized in Tokyo by the Italian Embassy and the Italian Foreign Trade Commission (ICE), was held last June 2nd also in honor of the Italian Republic holiday.
These events represent an ideal connecting point with Vinitaly Japan, “which” – declared Renato Porcia di Brugnero, commercial expert for the Italian Embassy in Tokyo – “is an important event because it consolidates the activities that the institutions conduct to favor Italian eno-gastronomy”.

The agreement with Isetan is very important: “Isetan” – explained the general manager, Kiyoshi Amemiya – “adheres to ADO (All Nippon Department Stores), which joins 66 large outlets for luxury goods and fine foods. We have 11, between Tokyo and Kyoto and here we will sell, under the brand name Vinitaly, wines chosen in the International Enological Competition of Verona. Our earnings in the wine sector reach over 4 million euros and with this agreement we are counting on giving strong impulse to sales”.

“Use of the brand name Vinitaly for the sales of Italian wines” – explained Giovanni Mantovani, general director of Veronafiere – “is a new contribution that the Verona expo adds to its role as an integrated system favoring export-oriented Italian enterprises, with the goal of developing a sales channel in Asia that is still little used by Italian wine distributors”.

An analogous agreement is also its final stages in China, where Veronafiere has recently opened a representative office in Shanghai, and where “Vinitaly China”, considered the most important wine & food event in Asia, has been organized for the past nine years.

Quality is Italy’s winning card in Asian countries. Japanese wine lovers (thanks to their own antique culture) are, in fact, consumers who are attentive to the origins of wine and Italian wine is considered that which best expresses the fusion between history, quality and price. In 2006, Italy exported almost 29,000 hectoliters of wine to Japan, for total earnings of over 99.5 million euros, setting the country just behind France and ahead of the United States. Distant but closing in, Chile, Spain and Australia follow as the top importers. Italian spumante is much appreciated, and its exports in 2006 surpassed 17 million euros. The average consumption is 2.6 liters per person.

Italian wine, however, has still not conquered Japanese consumer’s daily habits. Wine is generally consumed in restaurants and hotels, where Italian cuisine is also much appreciated and wine lists carefully chosen. This was recently evidenced by the fact that the prize for best wine list at Vinitaly went to the Il Teatro restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo.
“Italian wine” – stated Seiji Abe, the sommelier at Il Teatro – “is known and consumed in Tokyo, while it is much less known in the rest of the country. For this reason, initiatives like “Vinitaly Japan” are important in helping increase awareness. In particular, the DOC and DOCG systems, which are appreciated by mature consumers, but which put those newly interested in wine in difficulty, must be explained”.