NEW YORK: An Argentine wine association is planning a major US media and wine trade tour to raise the profile of Argentine wines in the US.
Buenos Aires-based Wines of Argentina has hired New York-based HG Marketing to handle PR and event management for the tour, which begins October 9 in Miami.
"The goal is to increase brand recognition and name recognition" among the media and in the US wine business, said Helen Gregory, president of HG. "If there's any myth we're trying to dispel, it's that all South America wines are created equal."
The tour is designed to help the media and wine distributors to understand what separates Argentine wines from those of other South American producers such as Chile, she explained.
In addition to media, HG has invited wine educators, who hold wine classes for consumers.
The group is also targeting wine distributors. This is seen as critical because about one-quarter of Wine of Argentina's members do not currently export to the US.
A goal of the tour is "to allow new Argentine wineries to find distribution in the US," Gregory said.
More than 30 wineries plan to showcase their wares at the tasting events.
Argentina is the fifth-largest wine producer in the world, and is best known for its red wines.
HG Marketing, a branding and marketing communications firm, has worked with wine clients from France, Chile, and South Africa.
After kicking off in Miami, the tour will make stops in Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York.
