Argentina aims at Korean wine market

Wine lovers generally enjoy tasting different wines from every part of the world, and for Argentina, this is a great opportunity to further boost its presence here.

“Once this market is developed, everyone will have the possibility to do well here,” said Argentine Ambassador Carlos Alberto Arganaraz.

The embassy last week held its first wine seminar in four years hoping to advance a product currently only found at five-star hotels and high-end department stores and restaurants.

“We are back now with a lot of hope to get a little bit of the Korean market which is very sophisticated,” he told The Korea Herald.

The Argentine wine industry came with a new logo, new motivation and a new vision for promoting their products in Korea and the rest of Asia.

The new organization titled Wines of Argentina brought 28 wineries showcasing about 100 different labels, all hoping to find a place on the palates of local wine lovers.

Their vision is to consolidate Argentina’s position among the leading non-traditional wine exporting countries of the Americas.

But breaking into the Korean market could be difficult due to the tariffs imposed on countries that do not have a free trade agreement with Korea.

“The prices are very good, but consumers will have to pay the normal taxes and duties. Yet the quality makes it worthwhile,” said Arganaraz.

General Manager of Wines of Argentina, Mario Giordano explained that the Korean market has “grown by 50 percent in the last year.”

“Our first step is to educate people about our products,” Giordano said. “We will try to show our varieties and then we will invite journalists to Argentina and show them the area and taste our wines.”

Argentine wine production and consumption dates back more than 400 years, when the first specimens were brought to the Americas by the Spaniards in the early 16th century.

Arganaraz said Argentina’s combination of good air, sun and soil gives its wines a unique taste compared to wines from the region like Chile and Uruguay.

Also, new launches and improvements in Argentina’s distribution and marketing campaigns are forecasted to contribute to growth in sector volume and repeat sales.

Showcased at the event were wines from Argentina’s most important wine regions, including Mendoza and San Juan.

The Mendoza province produces more than 60 percent of Argentinean wine.

By Yoav Cerralbo (yoav@heraldcorp.com)