GG_N52_FR

SPAIN
EXPORT
BODEGAS MARQUÉS DEL ATRIO IS SITUATED IN THE RIOJA ALTA REGION
The change is already reaping rewards – Spanish rosés are increasingly
in demand in the international marketplace and faced with competition
from French and Italian behemoths, the industry is determined to garner
attention.
For many years, Spanish bodegas paid little or no attention to production of
rosé wines, explains Jennifer Lafuente at Bodega Tempore. “They tended to
be more an offshoot of red wine production” rather than classed as products
in their own right. That perception has now changed, however. Not only
is rosé viewed as a potentially high quality pour, it is also seen as a way of
aligning with market trends and therefore a genuine blessing for wineries
that export.
That’s because rosés tick all the boxes. Fresh and fruit-forward, they match
the zeitgeist for less woodsy and alcoholic wines, ones that are more consumer-friendly.
This also explains why in Spain, where consumption of rosé
has never really been significant, the younger generations are the catalyst
for a change in drinking patterns. In export markets, where rosés are traditionally
shipped, the figures are constantly on the rise. Although rosés still
only represent a relatively small share of production at the five wineries we
met with – totalling 10% at most – exports have grown.
SUMMER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
37