Are you looking for light in the end of the tunnel? If yes, do not forget to turn on the light!

The Vinhos Verdes Region has passed for some of the most difficult moments of the last 20 years. To the usual conjuncture problems, it’s added the crisis that Portugal, the main market for Vinhos Verdes, has been crossing.

However, none of our problems has obscure or surprising origin. None of them is unexplained or only understandable by the most gifted. Therefore, anyone can look for forms to overcome these problems.

No matter the promises made, the institutions of the sector will not solve your problems. Of course they can help you but they will not deal with the vine, nor make the wine, they will not bottle, sell or charge.

It’s every producer and company task to find the best way to listen and answer to the most important person of our Region: the customer.

As shown by the sales numbers of the CVRVV, and entirely confirmed by the market study of AC Nielsen, there are companies in the Vinhos Verdes Region that are selling more. And these aren’t only the bigger or the smaller, the cooperatives or the wholesalers. This market improvement, that today only benefits some, can be extended to the entire Region.

In the last decade, we assisted to deep alterations in the market, particularly due to distribution rules and customer evolution. These will certainly increase, forced by the reduction on the per capita consumption. Increase sales means to take someone’s market; therefore exportation is an essential need, not a business complement.

Meanwhile, the business rules will continue to develop. The costs associated to the hygiene, security and quality will be increasing and it is not certain that the IEC will keep its zero tax for the wines for an indefinite time. More and more, our market will be the brand image, the quality and it will be progressively less the price.

But, that nobody thinks Vinho Verde will not resist to this evolution. We already had worst in the past. We have been making wine for long centuries. Knowing to adjust the uneven characteristics of our wine to the new preferences of the consumer, we have no doubts that Vinho Verde will continue to create wealth and jobs, contributing for the growth of the country.

Manuel Pinheiro

Presidente da CVRVV