In this way, it maintains a very prominent position within one of the most important e-commerce companies in the world, specifically in the red wine category in the Rakuten Gourmet Grand Prix
Wine is not a traditional drink in Japan, as its domestic market did not explode until the second half of the 1990s. This was the time of the high-end wine boom, with consumers interested in the polyphenols that red wine offers, which are said to help prolong life. At present, more and more Japanese men and women are consuming it, demanding its highest quality. This has caused that in the last 30 years the consumption of wine has grown more than 4 times, becoming the second country with the highest consumption of wine in Asia (fifteenth in the world). Japan registers a stable level of consumption with 350 million litres, of which around 70% are imported.
Valdemonte stands out for being made 100% with Tempranillo grapes, from vineyards planted in clayey and limestone soils. This wine has an intense and bright cherry red color and shows aromas of red berries and notes of ripe cherries. On the palate, it is unctuous with soft tannins. These ingredients have made it successful in Rakuten, which is currently one of the most prominent e-commerce companies in the world, present in many countries. Rakuten is not a virtual store as such, since it acts as an intermediary for commercial transactions, especially promoting the gastronomy and wine section, where the high quality of many Spanish products stands out.
Since the EPA between Japan and the European Union came into force in 2019, eliminating tariffs on wine, the increase in imports has been continuous. So, in the country of the Rising Sun, Spanish wines are very well received, since our gastronomy is recognized in every corner of the world. As a detail to highlight, it is noteworthy that its popularity has grown so much that young Japanese already prefer to drink wine or beer instead of traditional Japanese drinks such as ‘sake’ or ‘shochu’.
At Bodegas Fernando Castro, we will continue to bet on the Japanese market, joining forces so that Spain continues to be an important competitor for the United States in the Asian market, where Spanish wines are sold very well both in physical stores and online.
