Platform launches to sell Catalan wines in the U.S.

Barcelona (Gastroteca.cat).- 10 Catalan wine cellars and the organisation ACC1Ó are participating in an initiative to commercialise Catalan designation of origin wines in the United States. The project consists of the creation of an English language website as well as diverse presentations in Washington DC, Miami and Chicago.

The initiative entitled ‘Catalan Wines USA’ was created by the organisation ACC1Ó, an agency that promotes competitiveness in Catalan business. The project’s objective is to contribute to the commercialisation of Catalan wines in the United States market. At the moment, 10 different Catalan wine cellars are participating in the initiative. To do this, the project has created the website www.catalanwinesusa.com and plans to promote Catalan wine through various presentations and participation in U.S. food and wine fairs.  According to Ricard Mayol of the cellar Mayol Viticultors, “our first experience in Washington DC was very positive because people actively participate in finding distributors, facilitating our penetration into the market. Right now we are working with an importer from New Jersey with an air-conditioned warehouse to store the wine before it is released for sale”. The Washington DC event took place in the awarded restaurant Jaleo where cellar owners, distributors, importers, wholesalers, wine stewards and American chefs were in attendance. They do not currently have figures as far as wine sales because they only recently began the project. According to Mayol, “we already have agreements with importers but we need to get in touch with distributors”.

The next stop for the cellars is the Miami International Wine Fair that will take place on the 15th and 16th of October at the Miami Beach Convention Center. There they will have a stand to share and promote Catalan wines. Afterwards, they will head to Illinois for a wine-tasting event. The event will be held at the Restaurant Market of Chicago on the 20th of October. The cellars that are participating in the platform are: Bodegas Bellod (DO Conca de Barberà), Canals i Munné (DO Cava i Penedès), DG viticultors, El Xamfrà (DO Cava i Penedès), Falset-Marçà (DO Catalunya i Monstant), Finca Viladellops (DO Cava), Mas Rodó (DO Penedès), Mascaró (DO Cava i Penedès), Mayol Viticultors (DO Monstant i Priorat) and Vins Padró (DO Catalunya).