France’s Rhône Valley Vineyards Expand Reach in the US with Strategic Campaign, Including Goals that Feature Sustainability and Growth
New York, NY, March 6, 2023 – Inter Rhône, the organization that represents the Rhône Valley Vineyards AOCs, is excited to announce the launch of its 2023 integrated communications program in the United States. This plan will be driven by building Rhône Valley Vineyards’ brand awareness as an innovative, authentic and sustainable wine region, educating consumers about its accessible and diverse wines and telling the stories of the community behind them that are rooted in the history of the region while being committed to its future.
To kick off the 2023 global campaign, Inter Rhône will be holding some exciting events, both in the US and at home, beginning with Vinexpo America in New York City on March 8 and 9. During Vinexpo America, Journalist and Wine Critic Anna Lee Iijima will be hosting two masterclasses featuring the Northern and Southern Crus of the Rhône Valley Vineyards: Rhône Valley Rocks – a Deep Dig into the Geology of the Rhône Valley’s Northern Crus – Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie & Saint Joseph on March 8 and Rhône Valley Rocks – a Deep Dig into the Geology of the Rhône Valley’s Southern Crus – Beaumes de Venise, Rasteau & Lirac on March 9. Additionally, there will be an exclusive media lunch on March 7 to present the wines of five Crus of the Southern Rhône Valley (Rasteau, Beaumes de Venise, Lirac, Vacqueyras, and Tavel) hosted by Wine Director Christophe Tassan (The Battery SF), and an AOC Ventoux winemaker dinner on March 8 for media.
The Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône wine fair will be returning April 3 – 6, 2023, and will cover vineyards from Ampuis to Tain-l’Hermitage, ending in Avignon. This event will bring trade professionals to the home turf of merchants and producers from France’s second largest AOC wine region, to encourage connections and create opportunities to learn about the terroirs, understand new economic strategies, the biodiversity ambitions of the Rhône Valley AOCs, and enjoy the beauty and history of the Rhône Valley. Inter Rhône will be inviting two delegations of on- and off-premise buyers from the US to visit the show and attend outings and meetings in the vineyards.
Following this set of launch activities, Inter Rhône will be touring the United States during the summer with the “Get to know Rhône Academy”, a set of educational masterclasses aimed at trade and press, that will visit the cities of Washington DC, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Austin, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. In addition to the roadshow, Inter Rhône will be introducing New York, Chicago, and San Francisco to some of the brightest stars of the Rhône Valley in June with walkaround tastings for trade and press. To round out the summer, Inter Rhône will be launching a first-of-its-kind dining concept event for the Rhône Valley to be held in New York for trade and press with “Rhône in White”, an immersive deep dive into the diverse and complex world of Rhône Valley white wines.
Inter Rhône’s ambitious 2023 goals are aimed at allowing the AOCs of the Rhône Valley Vineyards to thrive in the future, with a collective vision to focus on three main areas: economic, technical and promotional. Inter Rhône’s plans come as a response to growing evidence of opportunities worldwide for regional AOC wines based on global trends and are aimed at consolidating and strengthening its position in growing markets like the United States.
Included in the objectives is a new graphic identity to be used across markets, which will be conveyed through a new logo, graphic character and signature. The new identity captures what makes the Rhône Valley unique in its diversity of terroirs, styles and experiences, visually drawing in the river that unites both the region and its people.
To strive toward meeting the demands of still wine consumption globally, Inter Rhône has set goals for color diversification to help balance the sales of red, white and rosé wines. Overall, sales have been trending to premiumization, with total volumes falling by an average of -1.9% per year while value of sales has been increasing +4.1% per year. Inter Rhône’s goal is to increase the volumes sold to match what has been achieved in terms of value and, by 2035, regain the 2.9 MhL that the region was commercializing at the end of the 2010s. This will mean reversing the current trend and moving from -1.9% to +0.9% per year. Sales of red wines have been decreasing by -2.5% per year, largely explaining the loss in volume, and increasing the market share of white and rosé will help achieve this goal.
Globally, shares of regional AOC white wines are growing by 4% per year in value but remain limited to 7% of total production for the Rhône Valley and 8% of all global sales. Inter Rhône has set the ambitious goal of doubling the current volumes and increasing from 174,000 hL marketed in 2020/2021 to 300,000 hL by 2031, which will position Rhône Valley Vineyards as a major white wine-producing region with European and North American wine professionals. Messaging for this positioning will be focused on the communication pillars of three main styles of white wine, (a fresh, fruity, and lively style; a fruity, round, and balanced style; a more complex style, for aging and cellaring), how the diversity of the appellations, terroirs and grape varieties are enhanced by blending, and finally, the many occasions to enjoy the white wines of the region.
The Rhône Valley’s rosé wines have seen less downturn in value, but have seen a slight annual decline of 0.2% in volume worldwide. Inter Rhône has aimed to increase sales volumes of rosé wines to 420,00 hL by 2026, a growth rate of 15%, and to 467,00 hL (17%) by 2031. 200,000 hL of this total volume is projected to be under an AOC label. Intending to offer a new perspective on rosé, Rhône Valley Vineyards has identified two profiles that prevail in the region for rosé: a fresh style and a fruity style. The “fresh rosé” wines have a thiol or secondary/amylic profile, are pale in color and well balanced with an aromatic nose and a lively palate. These “aperitif wines” should be drunk within the year. The “fruity rosé” style is a more traditional wine that is deeper in color and structured on the palate with aromas of red fruits and spices. As “gastronomy wines”, these rosés are to be enjoyed within two years. These two profiles are anchored in viticultural and winemaking practices as defined in compliance with the regulations and specifications of the region.
This collective vision for the Rhône Valley presented by Inter Rhône will be reflected in this ambitious and dynamic 2023 program launching in the United States starting this month. These large-scale projects reflect the dynamism and vitality of Rhône Valley wineries, cellars, and estates as they continue to grow their exciting range of core styles to professionals, media, and consumers across the spectrum of white, rosé, sparkling, sweet, and red wine styles.
For more information, visit the Inter Rhône website or follow Rhône Valley Vineyards on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
About Inter Rhône
Inter Rhône is a dynamic, deeply committed professional association representing all members of the Côtes du Rhône and Rhône Valley AOC wine industry. Founded in 1955, it coordinates the marketing and communications, business and technical activities of the following AOCs: Côtes du Rhône (Regional, Villages and Crus), Clairette de Bellegarde, Clairette de Die, Châtillon en Diois, Costières de Nîmes, Côtes du Vivarais, Coteaux de Die, Crémant de Die, Duché d’Uzès, Grignan les Adhémar, Luberon, Ventoux, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and Rasteau sweet fortified wines, Eaux de Vie de Vin des Côtes du Rhône (or Fine des Côtes du Rhône) and Eaux de Vie de Marc des Côtes du Rhône (or Marc des Côtes du Rhône). Its activity is based on three key principles: fair representation for all professional groupings; parity between producers and négociants; and unanimity for all major decisions. Inter Rhône is both creative and accountable, standing alongside its members, supporting them and helping them in their quest to win greater recognition for Rhône Valley Vineyards wines in France and abroad.
