The Greek wine industry languished in the doldrums for hundreds of years, then thoroughly modernised itself in less than twenty. Major companies and boutique producers now enter interesting wines of gold-medal, even trophy, quality in international competitions. So how is it that Greek wines, apparently so full of promise, remain so difficult to market outside Greece?
The question has no simple answer. But as a growing number of consumers in Britain, the United States, Ireland, Scandinavia and elsewhere move off their fixation with wines made from noble grape varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, the problem begs attention. Wine writers broadcast the news that there is a deep new interest in different varietal flavours-a situation from which Greece, with its constellation of fascinating, unknown grapes, should stand to benefit-and yet exports rise slowly.
Anyone who has shown Greek wines at consumer fairs in recent years can testify to the genuine interest on the part of the general public-with few exceptions, there is no underlying prejudice against these wines. Some tasters profess to find the 'resinated' flavour everywhere, because their only previous contact with Greece's wines has been with retsina. There is room for considerable education on this point. But progress has been made.
Much of the difficulty in the past stemmed from the narrow view of the export scene taken by the Greeks themselves. Exports were aimed at Greek and, to a certain extent, Greek-Cypriot communities living abroad. The wines were found mainly in Greek supermarkets, delicatessens, corner shops and restaurants-they were not visible to most people. Even today, it is only necessary to observe the expatriate Greeks clustered around Greek stands at wine trade fairs ignoring the interested foreigner to see that the pattern has not disappeared. The expatriate market must remain important, but to conquer on an international scale it is vital that Greek wines lose what is widely perceived to be their purely-ethnic status.
The export of any Greek product is supported, if possible, by the Greek government. There is no established tradition of Greek producers taking a deep, individual interest in travelling overseas to stand and explain their products to trade buyers in the way French, German, Australian and South American winemakers do. In addition, any support that is forthcoming is frequently linked to a one-off event. Such an approach is hopelessly ineffective in the context of world markets, where other countries assist their producers by running continuous support programmes and spend time and money on research to determine which styles of wine the markets find most acceptable.
The early 1990s appeared to see a breakthrough in understanding, when Greek wine-support offices opened in Britain and Japan, but neither office exists now. The sharp fall in Greek wine sales in the months following the office closure in Britain, and the continuing rise in sales of wine from countries that maintain support for their producers, serve to underscore the urgent need for more consistent personal involvement by Greek producers who aspire to promotetheir wines outside Greece. It takes time, energy, money and dedication in a difficult field, but the prize will go to those who seize the initiative.
The time is right to make an increased effort. The danger is that Greek winemakers will feel the big push is over as soon as they have got their wines on to foreign shelves. Nothing could be further from the truth. Once the wines become available, producers must work twice as hard to make sure the opportunity to penetrate the international market does not slip away. If action is taken, the overall standing and consumer appreciation of Greece's wines will be enhanced. If it is not, the price of failure will be high.
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Article Source: [ezinearticles.com]
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