I NEWS IWine from
I NEWS IWine from Lebanesemonks has greatpotential in FranceA wine produced by the Lebanese MaroniteOrder was among the organic beveragesthat were showcased at Vinexpo Paris.The Vinexpo Academy session on BrexitWSTA calls for "light-touch"import regime after BrexitThe UK’s wine and spirits trade body will press the British governmentto introduce a simplified certification system for wine imported fromEurope in January 2021, its overseas affairs director has said.The Adyar brand, offeringa range of organic red,white, rose, sweet and icewines, plus the traditionalLebanese drink Arak,exhibited in the WOW!section as it looks toincrease sales in France.The Lebanese MaroniteOrder cultivates vines ineight regions at altitudesbetween 410 metres and1600 metres.Yara Haddad from Adyarclaims that even whenFrench or Spanish grapesare used, the wine hasa character unique toLebanon, because of theclimate and soil, adding:"This kind of wine hasgreat potential. We wouldlike to grow our business inFrance. "Most Adyar wines areassociated with a particularmonastery, although someare the product of grapesfrom more than oneThe news was announced on 10 February atVinexpo, Paris, during the Vinexpo Academysession on Brexit.European and international affairs directorSimon Stannard announced that the Wineand Spirit Trade Association would bemeeting with government officials from 17-21 February, calling for a “light touch” shorttermapproach to certification after Brexit.The European Union requires importers ofwines from other countries to complete aVI1 certificate, requiring seven lab tests toassess the alcohol strength and levels ofacidity and sulphur dioxide in the wine, andensure standard units of measurement areaccurate.Stannard says the VI1 certificate isn'tfavoured from a UK perspective, because it isnot a useful tool for enforcement purposes,and the development of a new high-techsystem that can be accessed from vineyardto point of retail should be pursued as a longtermsolution.“But I think in the short term, there is theoption to have a simplified VI1 procedure,” hesays. “At the very least, we should, betweenthe UK and the EU, negotiate a simplifiedprocedure from the first of January nextyear. Ideally, we would like to see somethingthat gets us from where we are now to wherewe would like to be in future, with a sensibletransition.”Stannard said he was “hopeful” that mutualrecognition for organic wine regulationsbetween the EU and the UK would beachieved before the end of the yearThe Adyar wines from Lebanon4 • VINEXPO DAILY • THURSDAY 20 TH FEBRUARY 2020www.vinexpodaily.com
© DRBe Spirits exhibitors atVinexpo Paris 2020A show within the showBe Spirits attracts an “eclectic depth of exhibitors”Be Spirits by Vinexpo created a show within the show,designated specifically for spirits exhibitors comingtogether from across the world, including Canada, Tibet,Guatemala and Mexico.The section attracted what organisersdescribe as “an eclectic depth ofexhibitors” in Vinexpo’s first everdedicated spirits area, ranging fromUK-based Halewood Wines & Spirits– the first major spirit company tolaunch a CBD rum, “Dead Man’sFingers Hemp” – to a Single Maltfrom Tibet specialist supplier, andan artisanal “Ancestral Mezcal” fromMexico.“The product is the star” explainedJerome Delord of four-generationalfamily distillery Armagnac Delord,founded in 1893. “All stands are thesame size, and this helps the focusto be on the product.” The Infinite Barrunning 50 metres down the lengthof the Be Spirits area was a popularattraction with its 20 mixologistscoming from the most prestigiousbars and hotels in Paris.Be Spirits was also about conferencesthat were grouped under two themes(Be Mixology and Be Brand) with aseries of conferences and seminarsrunning daily throughout the show.They included one on Global SpiritsMarket Trends and another with afocus on the “No/Low Trend – why arealcohol-free spirits so popular?”A number of industry trends weresummarised and presented byThorsten Hartmann, Director ofConsulting at London-based IWSR(International Wine & Spirit Research)followed by animated audiencediscussion:Global - the ‘Experience Economy’with old established brandscontinuing to dominateEthical issue-drivers, e.g. packagingHealth Drivers, explosion in low andno-alcohol products as youngergeneration modify drinking habitswhich are becoming the norm(drinking by occasion rather than byhabit) e.g. 0.5% gluten-free cider,BrewDog No-Alcohol Bar in centralLondon, White & Mackay Light(whisky) at 20% ABV etc.The Power of Plants – growth of CBDi.e. cannabis-derived productsThe rise of contemporary spirits– producers starting to put theircustomers first and for examplefor whisky, dropping traditional‘Highlands’ scenery, stags etc andJohnny Walker introducing ‘WhiteWalker’ on the back of the popularityof Game of Thrones, deliberatelytargeting the younger generationdrinkersThe rise of the Pre-mix / BatchedCocktail, which poses a threat to theindividual brands as they are notspecified in the mixesConvenience or one-off expenditurevs value-for-money; 50cl spirits insachets and tetrapak boxesThe rise of Hard Seltzers in the US(alcoholic sparkling water) whichhave damaged the wine market in theUS, and pose a real threat to spiritsmarket if they make internationaljump from the USVINEXPO DAILY • THURSDAY 20 TH FEBRUARY 2020 • 5
