Interview, Part 2: Winebow Imports’ Diego Lo Prete
March 31, 2023In the second part of our interview, Winebow Imports senior vice president of marketing and global brands Diego Lo Prete discusses opportunities for brands across the 1.8-million-case portfolio, as well as the group’s new product plans for 2023.
SND: Which brands from Winebow Imports’ South America range are faring particularly well?
Lo Prete: We have Lapostolle from Chile, and we’re doing fantastically well with wines at $25 SRP, and also with the $180 Clos Apalta. Then we have Catena, which plays in the super-premium and luxury segment, and it’s gaining share at $20-$25. We own 50% of that segment. And the high end wines from Catena—$100 to $200—are really rocking. We’re pushing against allocations and need more wine to supply the market.
SND: How about on the European side?
Lo Prete: Sparkling is another thing that’s doing very well. Zardetto, our super-premium Prosecco, is positioned above the big players in terms of price. It’s growing double-digits, really sustained by the on-premise. Another thing that is doing fantastic is the Zenato Valpolicella portfolio, again driven by the recovery of the on-premise at the premium level. The recovery of on-premise also means not just growth, but higher price points, so the luxury segment is doing very well for us.
SND: What are some newer entries to the portfolio?
Lo Prete: Villa Maria from New Zealand is on a roll, growing by double-digits, way ahead of the category. It’s sitting at that $15 price point, and it’s a great partnership with a lot of potential. From France, we’re just starting to put Mirabeau from Provence out into the market, and it’s growing like crazy. We’re launching a new campaign that will hopefully take it to the next level. From a big-picture perspective, rosé is not growing, but French rosés in the premium price points are where the growth is, very concentrated among a few players. So this is a super important opportunity for Winebow. We also have a pink gin from Mirabeau coming into the book.
SND: Any other new products on the way?
Lo Prete: On a smaller scale, we’ve just launched a ready-to-drink Negroni from Poli distillery in Italy. They’ve been with Winebow for over 20 years with their super-premium grappas, and have also expanded into other distillates. The Negroni is very hot right now and it’s a beautiful package. We’re also working on some RTD activity around Prosecco, probably launching in three or four months. That’s a great opportunity for us because it’s a way to get into RTDs but stay close to the heart of fine wine. We have a Pisco from Lapostolle that recently launched and is doing very well, and we have more premium craft spirits in the pipeline that I can’t reveal quite yet. We’re also looking at Cava for the future.
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