What is the value of a D.O. in wine marketing?

On 30 April I gave a presentation at a conference organized by the Catalan Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Support on the value of Denominations de Origin in wine marketing.

The key points:

The overt importance of a D.O. as such will vary according the consumer target (those with more wine knowledge or familiarity with a specific region will attach more value to the D.O.). For example, a consumer with slight general wine awareness may have heard of Rioja and might possibly value it higher than wines from another region, while a more knowledgeable consumer might attach greater value to a wine from the Rioja Alavesa.

However the covert importance of a D.O. is to:

• Create a link to a specific region, which is of growing importance in a increasingly uniform and generic world,
• Preserve and give value to local traditional knowledge and practices, which often from the basis of viticultural and winemaking regulations enacted by D.O.s.
• Act as a vehicle for collaboration and cooperation among the participants of a specific region.

While some might criticise D.O.s for imposing certain practices that a winery might wish to use, any winery that decides to can opt out of a D.O. However, it is important to note that in countries where the practice of forming D.O.s was not a part of the scene, wineries in certain regions are banding together to form D.O.-like structures, such as the Coonawarra Vignerons Association, or the Napa Valley Vintners.

Above all, D.O.s should be at the service of their member wineries to help them achieve the highest possible quality, singularity and visibility.