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36 LIFESTYLE Business Review | May 2016
COVER STORY 14
Winemakers adapting to pandemicrelated changes in consumer behaviour After a two year break, Alina Iancu, founder of CrameRomania.ro and Revino. ro is finally bringing the Revino Bucharest Wine Show back to Bucharest, between April 9-11, at Novotel. BR talked to her about how the Romanian wine industry has changed during the pandemic. By Oana Vasiliu
What were the long-term effects of the pandemic on the local wine industry?
Have new winemakers entered the market during these past two years?
we drink it or the time of year. For example,
I will limit myself to only giving an opin-
We’ve identified about five wineries that
ing sparkling wine.
ion of the short term, because the current,
have launched products in this period and
post-pandemic situation might bring further
they’ve been promoting themselves through
changes that I don't think anyone can antici-
wine tourism or online, but their reach has
What qualities should we look for when we want to purchase a bottle of wine?
pate.
only been local because they haven’t had the
I would not call them qualities, but reasons
chance to attend industry events to gain vis-
why we should choose a wine. When you
wine at home, ordering it online from winer-
ibility across the country. Nevertheless, two
don't have know-how, the safest option is to
ies, distributors, and specialised stores – but
years is not enough to consolidate a brand in
go to a specialty store and ask for recommen-
one addition has been that medium and
the wine industry, much less in a pandemic
dations depending on the occasion you’re
large winemakers have been more focused
situation.
buying it for, who’s going to drink it, whether
During the pandemic, people consumed
on supermarket sales. So, some of the wines
In April, at the fifth edition of the Revino
people have been developing a habit of drink-
it will be served as an aperitif or with food,
that you could only find in specialised stores
Bucharest Wine Show, there will be two
and last but not least, your budget. You can
before are now on the shelves of large chain
wineries that have released a portfolio of
find good wine at around EUR 8-12 – it may
stores. Exports have dwindled, international
wines bottled in several ranges during the
not be very sophisticated, but perfect for the
events have declined, and we are now experi-
pandemic. They’ll have the opportunity to
occasion. You can also find exceptional wines
encing price increases and a shortage of Euro-
present their products to over 2,000 visitors
with a EUR 15-25 price tag. At the same time,
pean packaging. Bottles and other packaging
and get feedback on their quality and poten-
you may end up buying a very expensive
components are not being delivered on time,
tial on this market, which is highly competi-
bottle and not be able to appreciate and take
transport has almost doubled. We'll see what
tive, especially when we take into account
advantage of its true value.
comes next.
international wines.
In your opinion, how competitive is the Romanian wine market after the pandemic?
What are the trends emerging in the wine industry these days?
Those who have used very low prices and all
The biggest trend is the desire to drink wine,
are the mother of learning. A wine tasting is
kinds of offers to get rid of stocks are now
to discover it. More and more venues are
always accompanied by a story of the wine
having trouble re-entering the hospitality
offering wine by the glass and developing a
and the producer. This is where it all begins.
sector. We must always refer to international
wine portfolio on their menus.
Visits to wineries or wine tourism, which
wines that offer good value for money, no
Through testing, we can discover what we
What tips do you have for someone going to their first wine tasting? Adding to the previous answer, wine tastings
have grown in the second half of the pan-
matter how much we talk about how good
like, learn about varieties, and the best as-
demic, help answer a series of questions that
Romanian wine is.
sociations with food, the people with whom
we ask ourselves when drinking wine.
