Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/391612
october 2014 / the tasting panel / 85 French wines are too complicated to understand or too expensive, especially for Millennials," divulges Valérie Pajotin, Managing Director, ANIVIN DE FRANCE—the national wine trade organization that oversees Vin de France wines category. A Sense of Place Victor Coulon, U.S. Sales Manager for Lionel Osmin & Cie, expands, "The name itself—Vin de France—brings out a sense of place that consumers can easily understand, along with the improved packaging we can create." Vin de France hopes to synergize consumer preferences with its ability to display words like Muscat or Grenache on the label. Now, consumers know what they can generally expect when picking that bottle; a brand, a country and a variety simplify the buying process and enable the producer to create modern, minimalist label designs that will catch the attention of the younger consumer that they target. Flexibility and Consistency Most of the producers and members of ANIVIN DE FRANCE will agree that Vin de France acts as a great introduction to French wines with an exceptional and award-winning product at a great value. Jacqueline Cole, Export Sales Manager for Gabriel Meffre, explains, "Vin de France allows for amazing flexibility to play around, all while having the ability to stay consistent." This advantage stems from avoiding bad vintages—producers can sidestep a region that did not yield quality grapes in one particular harvest and seek out other producers from another part of the country. Patrick Baugier, founder and Chairman of Metrowine Distribution recounts, "Sales were always up and down due to inconsistencies from year to year, but this category offers a huge opportunity to increase wines sales for France." Reliability ensures a level playing field when competing against New World selections. For other brands, the Vin de France category allows them access to a market that they couldn't reach with their higher-priced offerings, which is the case for Maison Tramier, a family-owned wine merchant and grower located in Burgundy. Olivier Negraz, Export Director for Maison Tramier, notes, "Vin de France is a good way to complete our offerings and introduce the quality of French wines to new customers and new generations." Or as Jacquelyn Aurora from Sacha Lichine put it: "The brands want to unlock the mystery of France." The companies reiterate the idea that these wines are a gateway to open American palates to French wines, and they take the right approach by tailoring their offerings to the taste preferences of the U.S., including Grandissime, a negociant that "listens to the customers first and make new profiles based on their feedback," reveals Nicolas Dufour, American Sales Manager. Another company, Groupe Taillan, hadn't focused on the U.S. in the past, although it has exported products here for about 20 years. Now they have created French Kiss, which Patrice Lancien, Sales Director USA, walks us through: "It is a brand for America, with an English name that is easier to remember and a clean label, but we still add touches that invoke notions of France." The flexibility to innovate—as well as to blend—according to changing tastes makes Vin de France an exciting new category for those participating in it. Although still quite young, the producers have discovered new freedom and play with indigenous grapes, developing blends like Muscat with Chardonnay. After sitting down with a number of the brands, it seems that these creations will only grow and become even more interesting in the future. "The Vin de France category offers a huge opportunity to increase wines sales for France." Members of ANIVIN DE FRANCE attend ECRM's Global Wine, Beer & Spirits EPPS in August to further educate retailers about their offerings.