Campo Viejo ditches crianza

Campo Viejo has dropped the crianza cue and opted for varietal labelling in an attempt to attract more consumers.

The well-known brand from Rioja has replaced its crianza with Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2010 following research which shows that almost 70% of wine drinkers consider the grape as the most important factor when deciding what to buy.

Pernod Ricard, owners of the brand, also believe Tempranillo could be a flagship for Spain, comparing its potential to New Zealand’s success with Sauvignon Blanc.

“We see a clear opportunity to further grow the Spanish wine category,” said Simon Thomas, Pernod Ricard’s deputy managing director for wine in the UK.

“Through our insights and consumer research, we know that consumers are looking for more balanced and progressive wine styles and as the UK’s number one Rioja wine brand, we are well-placed to drive this growth by championing the quality and characteristics of Tempranillo from Rioja, which has the potential to achieve for Spain, what Sauvignon Blanc has for New Zealand.”

Continuing, Thomas explained, “Our research tells us that grape variety is consumers’ first buying criteria, with 69% of wine drinkers considering grape variety as important, or very important, in their decision-making process.

“We’re enabling retailers to tap into this opportunity with a premium-quality wine showcasing the best of the Tempranillo grape, which our research has shown to score better overall than Campo Viejo Crianza on every measure, including purchase intent.”

Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2010 will be on shelves in April at an RRP of £8.55.

Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard has also launched a “fresher and fruitier expression” of Tempranillo with the Campo Viejo Vintage 2011.

The new Rioja has been crafted to attract non Spanish-wine drinkers into the category, particularly those who prefer New-World styles.

Campo Viejo Vintage 2011 will be available to on- and off-trade retailers in August at an RRP of £7.79.