by Dr. Luis Antunes
Sogrape has decided to leave the G7, the association of major Portuguese wine producers that was founded in 1992, and formalised in 1994, to promote their exports. The 6 remaining members are Aliança, Aveleda, Bacalhôa, Finagra-Esporão, José Maria da Fonseca
and Messias. It is a serious blow to the organisation, as Sogrape sells as much as the 6 others together. Sogrape saw the G7 as a tool, not an objective, and thinks new promotional ideas are needed.
At a luncheon and tasting hosted by the remaining six, Paulo Amorim, the G7 s president, emphasised that along the almost 15 years of its existence, the group has seen several similar events: companies that folded (Carvalho Ribeiro & Ferreira), companies that left (Vinhos Borges), companies that merged (Finagra) and others that changed name (Bacalhôa from JP Vinhos). António Soares Franco from JM Fonseca said that these changes have ensured that an informal but strict rule exists to consider the candidates that already stepped forward. The consensus among the six participants is to recompose the magical number of 7, probably by including a new participant that can help open new and interesting market segments for Portuguese wine abroad.
