VSPT’s flagship wine launches in UK

Chilean wine producer VSPT Wine Group has launched its global wine brand Gato Negro in the UK.

The new reserve line, Gato Negro 9 Lives Cabernet Sauvignon has been launched into 530 Sainsbury’s stores ( RRP: £8) this month, after it was specifically developed for key markets including the UK.

Speaking exclusively to db earlier this year, VSPT CEO Pedro Herane said there was a gap in the UK market for a brand and the company was keen to take on market leader Concha Y Toro with the launch of a more premium version of its best-selling brand.

The flagship Gato Negro brand is currently worth around $60m, and sells around 2.4m cases per year, with markets in around 80 countries.

The new premium sub-brand is aiming at the mid-price point and is being supporting with “significant” above and below the line support according to VSPT’s distribution partner, Off-Piste Wines.

In April, Sebastián Reitze, brand owner retail brands at Vina San Pedro admitted to db the main Gato Negro brand had “not appealed” to the UK markets and the company had incurred losses by not being conscious of pricing and margins, but it was confident the new proposition, which was developed after months of consumer research and development, would appeal to the UK consumer.

The company also has a Sauvignon Blanc and having launched the first two skus in other markets including Canada and the Nordic countries, is already planning to extend the range with a Chardonnay and a Merlot.

Winemaker Viviana Magnere said the “easy-to-drink and palatable” wine, had intense red fruit aromas of strawberry and cherry, with subtle hints of pepper, black tea and vanilla. It is made with grapes from nine different zones from the Central Valley and made at the Viña San Pedro winery.

The company has increasingly been concentrating on developing styles tailored specifically to local markets, and analysing what consumers want style-wise. Previously Herane told db wine brands need to act locally rather than globally in order to win new markets, rather than using a less effective ‘one size fits all’ approach.