Wine Sediments

By Tom Wark
Fermentation

I heard from a couple of importers of Italian wines. Each believes Italy’s win in the World Cup final will translate into increased sales for Italian wines in America.

While the connection seems a bit vacant on the surface, when you dig down deep into how we focus in our purchasing decisions, the assumption seems perfectly valid — especially when you consider that everything is brand. That most certainly includes Italy.

Brand marketers want attention — positive attention paid to their brand. This is not an easy thing to achieve even among a small audience. It’s even more difficult to muster when you attempt to reach out and promote a brand to a nationwide audience. BrandItaly just got a shot in the arm. The entire world today is thinking about Italy. That’s quite a coup for those who sell Italian goods.

But around the world they are not just thinking about Italian soccer. Consumers with knowledge of the World Cup champions are now more likely to give greater consideration to Italian purses, Italian history, Italian pasta, Italian vacations, Italian politics and … Italian wine. Bottom line: Today, all things Italian are just a little more visible and just a little more attractive.

While there will certainly be a surge in the purchase of Italian wine for mere celebratory purposes, this will certainly lead to repeat purchases in the future by those who perhaps were not previously familiar with that country’s wines but just now, because of their celebratory purchase, discovered the wines are quite nice.

Of course it’s likely this momentary trend will be extended by marketers of Italian wine as they rush to create promotional materials to capitalize on the victory of Team Italy. Any leg up that wine marketers can get in a world literally awash in wine will be seized upon.

As I write this I can almost guarantee a little shelf talker — that thing you see hanging on the bottles neck or on the shelf under the bottle — is being printed that reads: “Italian Wines — Goooooooooooooaaaaal!!!”