To the Next Generation of Wine Drinkers...

Though it’s the fourth-largest wine producer in the world, and the largest in Europe, you’ve probably never heard the name J. García Carrión. Instead, the company lets its labels speak for themselves, especially in the Cava category, where it is poised to make Cava the “new Prosecco.”

While J. García Carrión wines are distributed in 155 countries around the world, its fourth-generation owner, José Garcia Carrión, has maintained close ties to the company’s humble beginnings. A family of grape growers for generations, the Garcia Carrións opened a modern winery in 1890 that was far ahead of its time. “We have come a long way since the founding of the winery by my grandfather, and for over 125 years we have stayed true to our values of quality, which have now been passed down through five generations,” José says. Today, J. García Carrión produces wine in ten DOs (denominations of origin) across Spain.

Cava remains at the core of Garcia Carrión’s success, thanks to wellknown brands like Jaume Serra and Pata Negra. The Cavas are made in the Champagne style and even use yeast from France. Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava is aged for 12 months, while Pata Negra Cava Brut is aged for 18 months and vintage-dated Reservas and Gran Reservas can be aged up to 60 months. “We feel our Cavas are the best sparkling value in the business,” says Tom Bernth, national sales manager for J. Garcia Carrión- CIV USA. Bernth also points out the closest competing category, Prosecco, typically involves aging wine for just three to six months and that the price point is higher.

The company is also vertically integrated in packaging with a range of offerings from glass to Tetra Pak to Bag-in-Box to cans. “We feel that alternative packaging will continue to be the driver in the wine category growth trends,” Bernth explains. “Millennials don’t care about the wine snob era we experienced in the past—they want great wine in packaging that provides portability and convenience.” Bernth also points out that the company’s technology is the best in the business and has even impressed visiting executives from consumer packaged goods companies.

Tetra is especially important to the company’s growth, including a Tetra version of the Don Simón Sangria, which is the top-selling Sangria in the world.

Jaume Serra Ice

“We have an awesome package and a taste profile that will be a great entry point to help us promote the Cava quality story,” Bernth says of the new Jaume Serra Ice. “From a production standpoint, the dosage is slightly sweeter, so this helps reduce some of the acidity.” Jaume Serra Ice is targeted for the next generation of wine drinkers who may not be familiar with Cava. “Look for some fun mixology programs and two additional platforms we are going to attack that will build brand loyalty with millennials,” Bernth says.