2009 01 16 - BT - WINE - Local methods cater to global tastes

Business Times - 16 Jan 2009

WINE
Local methods cater to global tastes

Fattoria la Fiorita and Wolf Blass have broad appeal, reports CHRISTOPHER LIM

WOLF Blass and Fattoria la Fiorita may be producers of vastly different wines, but one thing they share in common is a confidence that their taste profiles appeal to a global audience, rather than just drinkers in their home countries of Australia and Italy.

This is hardly surprising since brand recognition requires acclaim across borders - especially so for Wolf Blass, with a parent company that has as strong an export business as the Foster's Group.

But it's as much a question of an improved supply chain as anything else. 'At Wolf Blass, our winemaking philosophy of suppleness, balanced tannins and approachability has not changed; however, over time, our wines have evolved as the quality of our fruit sourcing has improved,' says Chris Hatcher, chief winemaker at Wolf Blass.

Mr Hatcher won the International Red Winemaker of the Year award at the International Wine Challenge in London last year, so it's a good bet that he knows what he's talking about, in addition to making wines with global appeal.

'The success of Wolf Blass globally suggests that wine consumers' tastes around the world are very similar,' says Mr Hatcher. 'Today, our wines are more focused on fruit intensity and power, with less obvious oak while retaining supple tannin balance,' he adds.

This style is in line with his view of consumer taste trends in coming years. 'There is no doubt consumers are looking for fresher, lighter, more fruit-driven styles of wine, both white and red,' he says.

Fattoria la Fiorita, in Montalcino, Italy, is as old world as Wolf Blass is new world, but the Tuscan winemaker's approach is a lot more purist than the Australian brand's more pragmatic approach.

This was brought to the fore last year when a scandal erupted over the discovery that some makers of Brunello di Montalcino wine were mixing other grape varietals into the wine, despite regulations stipulating that Brunello must be made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes.

'La Fiorita was born from a passion for Montalcino and Sangiovese; that is why we do not believe in a Brunello di Montalcino mixed with other grapes,' says Luigi Peroni, general manager of Fattoria la Fiorita.

'Recently, 96 per cent of the producers inside the Consortium has voted to maintain the present production regulation of 100 per cent Sangiovese with no blending or approximation in a Montalcino,' he adds, referring to the Consorzio del Vino Brunello, a group that oversees production of Brunello.

All the more impressive then that La Fiorita has managed to keep producing wines that consistently appeal beyond Tuscany.

'Wherever there's a demand for Italian wine, fortunately there's a demand for Brunello di Montalcino,' says Mr Peroni.

'La Fiorita is well established in Singapore thanks to our importer, Taste of Tradition, which imports and distributes about 600 bottles of Brunello - a considerable quantity if you consider our entire production of 20,000 bottles,' he adds.

Of course, La Fiorita's not the only Italian wine that appeals here. Prosecco sparkling wine is an attractive alternative to Champagne because it's typically half the price.

'The Singapore market is getting more aware of what Prosecco is and Singaporeans are realising the value for money of Prosecco versus Champagne,' says Giorgio Ferrari, managing director of Prosecco importer Giorgio Ferrari Pte Ltd.