Our wishes for 2020 and a sneak preview of our upcoming projects!

Ongoing innovation

In our continued ambition to further reduce our environmental impact, our winery has put considerable time and effort in driving down the weight of the bottles we use. Several months ago, we entered into a new partnership with glass manufacturer O-I in our bid to shrink our impact on the environment while also offering packaging that is innovative. On the back of this, this year we will be marketing a brand new range of wine in bottles featuring printed decoration. We’re not talking about silkscreen printing or traditional paper labelling, but printing directly onto the glass.

Valérie Vincent, Marketing & Communication Manager, explains:

“This line is being rolled out with a rosé formulated especially by our wine expert, Véronique, to a custom-made blend. The bottle, which is printed on with ground-breaking technology, has been designed to play around with the effects of transparency and relief, while giving our customers a collectable item. The technology was perfected working with two of our export customers and we can’t wait to show it off at upcoming trade fairs. This is an exciting packaging innovation.“

The decoration is printed in relief and in six different colours, which are then boxed randomly. Upon opening the box, the customer will be pleasantly surprised by the colours on the bottle, making them perfect for collecting!

Stronger and more committed regional presence

Back in October 2019, the winery announced that it had purchased 11 hectares of vines in the Cairanne appellation.

“This acquisition is a sign of our strong ties to the southern Rhône Valley, where we are one of the most well-established winemakers. It also gives us greater security in terms of our supplies and the quality of the wines we produce,” explains CEO Etienne Maffre.

Valérie tells us that Gabriel Meffre is now the proud owner of 90 hectares of vines. The wines made from the Cairanne vines will round off the current production from the Domaine de Longue Toque, the winery’s flagship estate in Gigondas

“The estate has 47 hectares of vines, 22 of which are in the Gigondas AOP. In 2020, the estate will complete the final year of its switch to organic farming.”

Added to this are the 43 hectares planted at the Château Grand Escalion, which are HVE3-certified (High Environmental Value), in Costières de Nîmes.

Gabriel Meffre on show at major trade fairs

The start of the year also kicks off the trade fair season with our industry customers:

Wine Paris which runs from 10 to 12 February at the Parc des Expositions in Porte de Versailles, draws in over 2,000 wine industry professionals. It’s an important commercial opportunity for our European on trade customers, where we will be presenting our new products on stand M249 in Hall 6.

Prowein in Düsseldorf from 15 to 17 March – Hall 11 – H50. At this three day trade fair, we get to meet almost all of our export customers. It’s a crucial event for our sales teams, who will be there to showcase our latest innovations.

Vinexpo New York, in early March, is where we go to meet our North American customers face to face. Last but not least, we can’t wait to see our individual customers for a friendly meet and greet at the Lyon Tasting and Bettane & Desseauve trade fairs. Don’t forget you are also welcome at the Gabriel Meffre cellar in Gigondas, open all year round!

We are sure this year will be filled with exciting plans to carry you through and crowned with success. May your 2020 be lively, smooth and mellow, like a fine glass of wine!