Valpolicella wine specialist
Deborah Parker Wong, the global wine editor for The SOMM
Journal, told ANSA that US wine consumers on the West Coast are
increasingly conscious and attentive to sustainability and
natural enological styles, and spend between nine and 20 euros
for a premium bottle.
"We're no longer talking about occasional drinkers; younger
consumers are looking for light and refreshing wines with more
complex flavours, and are moving away from simple, fruity
styles, which ensures good opportunities for flavourful wines
such as Valpolicella Doc," Parker Wong said.
She said the trend is a national one that is being seen
across social media.
"Italy has about 30% of the 'off-premise' market in the
United States, which highlights the variety and versatility of
Italian wine," she said.
The market, however, has a barrier in that the consolidation
of distributors limits access to the market for producers who
export less than 10,000 cases, both on the West Coast as well as
nationally.
Parker Wong said that this barrier could be overcome by using
the Internet, suggesting, for example, "developing alternative
pathways to the market, namely by getting into contact with
buyers who use online platforms to buy outside of the
'three-tier system'".
"In any case, with the retail landscape continually evolving,
and with sellers who manager to send wine across state borders,
even smaller producers can make their wines known," she said.
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