2023-10-05 11:30:46
Brussels is enjoying an incredibly sunny day and at the Palais d’ Afrique, the imposing 19th century palace, the stands are being prepared feverishly. The bottles are opened: Agiorgitika and Xinomavra, Moschofilera and Malagouzies, Vidiana and Moschata, Mavrotragana and Kydonitses. Soon the room will be filled with importers, traders, restaurateurs, sommeliers, oenologists, journalists, judges of wine competitions. It is the first screening event of the of wines us in Belgium, organized by the Hellenic Wine Association, with the participation of twenty-six well-known wineries: Gerovasileiou, Kyr-Yiannis, Tselepos, Tsililis, Kehris, Sigalas, Skouras, Vogiatzis, Spyropoulos, Lazaridis etc. This is the first attempt to “open” a complex and difficult market. And that, winemakers say, doesn’t just mean positioning their products. They care about their wines getting into the right places, with the right partners and in the most efficient way. That is why, beforehand, they have thoroughly researched the legislative framework, competition, taxation and culture of the country in which they are going to invest.
“We have updated our marketing plan until 2025, having ranked countries according to their sales growth prospects. Belgium belongs to the markets that we characterize as “mature-established”, which means that a significant increase in exports, mainly in terms of value, has been observed in recent years. With this in mind, but also because several members had expressed a strong interest, we decided to organize this event. Our aim is to introduce Greek wine to Belgian consumers, without of course excluding the Greek community”, explains Sophia PerperaSEO’s international relations and marketing manager.
But the Belgian market is special. “Belgium is the center of Europe, geographically and geopolitically. Therefore, placing Greek wines in popular spots will mean promoting them not only to Belgians but also to Germans, French, Spanish and other Europeans. Few countries have this feature. Also, although domestic wine production is not a threat to our wine, since it is at low levels, the competition is huge, since producers from all over the world are targeting Belgium to export their products. THE Leonidas Hatzimichalisco-owner of the historic Atalanti estate, describes one aspect of its uniqueness.
26 Greek wineries participated in the event which took place at the Palais d’ Afrique, an imposing 19th century palace in Brussels.
“The bar of difficulty is raised by the differences between the domestic population: from region to region not only the language changes, but also the culture, as well as the culinary and wine habits. In the South, for example, due to its proximity to France, the dominance of French wine is undisputed. It is a challenge for another country to find a way to break this barrier”, adds Mr Aris Spaidiotis, export manager of the Skouras Estate. “Cultural, linguistic and ideological differences between the Walloons and the Flemish impose different approaches, perhaps even goals. However, since this is a highly developed market, with a strong high-income economy, the bet for us is to “open up” outside the Greek community. And that requires a lot of work and targeted actions.”
THE Nektarios Bileris from Santo Wines agrees. “The Belgian market is for the most part an extension of the French market. In supermarkets you will hardly see labels from other countries.” Assyrtiko of Santorini, however, seems to have the “passepartout” that unlocks international markets. Isn’t that the case in this particular case? “Indeed, we are starting with a longer… time. Belgians are fans of Chablis – high acidity, cool, crisp wines – as well as Chardonnays, which have aging potential. Assyrtiko has these qualities, so we have reasons to be optimistic.” The same optimism is shared by Apostolos Alexakis, of the Cretan winery of the same name, one of the oldest on the island. “And for us, Assyrtiko, from our vineyards in Dafnes of Heraklion, opens the way. It doesn’t have the minerality of theraica, but it’s more fruity. Together with Vidiano, which is showing a rapid rise, it is our flagship”.
“The bar of difficulty is raised by the differences between the domestic population in Belgium: from region to region culinary and wine habits change.”
A marathon, not a sprint
“In countries like Belgium there are many wine clubs; their members are looking for the different, the unique, the product that has an attractive storytelling behind it and they are willing to pay to have that experience. The point is that every time a consumer unfamiliar with Greek wine tastes our wine, he will be pleasantly surprised. How is this achieved? With a quality wine, at a good price, with a tasteful label, proper packaging and effective promotion on social media. The new order of things requires all these conditions”, points out Kyriaki Panagiotou from Noema, his new winery Pericles Dragonuntil recently export manager of Tsantali company.
“Exporting is a tough sport. You don’t win immediately, you have to work hard, and that doesn’t suit the Greek mentality. We have been doing it since the 1990s. Year after year, the momentum is growing. Trade requires trust. Foreigners often see from our compatriots the “one way, another” pattern. For the US, Central Europe and Great Britain lack of consistency is seen as a red flag, so they are understandably skeptical of us. The West needs a good product and consistency in order to trust you”, emphasizes Mr Leon Karatsalos, co-founder of Gaia Wines. “Let’s be realistic. If we exclude Assyrtiko, which is the vanguard of our exports, we are under the competition radar in many countries. This does not mean that we stop trying, taking advantage of the comparative advantage of the recognition of our homeland. For us, the first marketing was done by the ancient Greeks”! Exports are a marathon, not a sprint. For the oenologist Calliope Volitakis started in 2000, when she and her husband founded Idaia Winery in Heraklion, Crete. “From the beginning, we focused on the local varieties – Vidiano, Thrapsathiri, Liatiko – seeing their potential abroad. We were not denied. Vidiano is now very popular. Thrapsathiri has made a surprise. Especially the British love it a lot. They may struggle to pronounce it, but they prefer it for its cool acidity and minerality.” What do they expect from the Belgian market? “A warm welcome. Belgians appreciate quality wines. In other words, there is fertile ground.”
Before leaving the venue, I pass by the Samiotis stand Nikos Vakakis. The eponymous winery, although it was founded in 2011, during the crisis years, has already made its presence felt. I ask to taste their sweet wine made from dried Muscat grapes. “Apricot, raisin, rose delight and so many other aromas. Excellent! Will he have any luck with Belgian wine lovers?’ I ask him. “To be honest, we’re not stressed at all,” he replies, laughing, “almost all of it is exported to China!”
No subsidies
The same evening, with the president of SEO, Yannis Vogiatzis, and some of the winemakers who participated in the event, we are at the French restaurant Lola. They are all tired but very satisfied. “The image we gave was excellent. There was a good flow of visitors, we got to talk a lot with them, our seminar on the Greek vineyard was well attended. Each market is different and in this particular one, one of the most difficult we have faced, our goal is to reintroduce Greek wine, to put it in restaurants and cellars”, says Mr. Vogiatzis. “Our effort is done without having received a single euro from the state. We are not saying that we don’t need state support, it’s just that, for our actions to be effective, we need to be free from the usual “burdens”. Exports are not subsidized. We are people of work, of production. We don’t expect from the ministries…”.
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