Vietnam’s taste for Tuscany wine rises

President of the Siena Chamber of Commerce Massimo Guasconi

What were the results of the three previous promotional events for Tuscany wine and what difficulties have Italian wine makers faced when tapping the Vietnamese market?

Vietnam offers a great potential market for Italian wine. Last year, we exported around 600,000 euros of wine products to Vietnam. This figure doubled in the first half of this year reaching 1.2 million euros. Our events have attracted growing attention from wine producers and aficionados alike.

The Tuscany Siena region is home to about 150-160 wine makers, and 50 to 60 of them have made forays into Vietnam, with 10 regarded as leading world brands.

About 160 million bottles of wine are consumed in Vietnam every year. However, we have faced difficulties due to the imposition of the 150 per cent tax rate. I expect the rate should decline after the free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the EU comes into force.

The Tuscany region is well-known for its wine. Besides Italian wine, Vietnamese consumers are obviously familiar with wine from France or Chile. What are major differences between the wines?

It is hard to compare Italian wines and France or Chile. Every wine is obviously different based on its specific point of origin. However each wine produced in Italy continues to employ distinctive and unique regional production techniques and each type of wine reflects a region's specific characteristics. That is why wines from Tuscany always hold the edge in quality, while each label has its own unique story. In 2012, Tuscany exported around 5 billion euros worth in wine to countries around the world and registered 10 per cent growth against 2011. Italy currently leads the globe in wine export value.

How do you intend to ramp up the visibility of Italian wine in Vietnam?

Besides organising promotional activities, we have just signed an agreement with Saigontourist to provide training on matching Italian wine with Vietnamese dishes.

Italian restaurants based in Vietnam have regularly hosted activities to promote Italian cuisine and culture. We expect such promotional activities could increase on the back of increased demand.

You have a wealth of experience in promoting trade with Vietnam.  So what is your appraisal about the current state of co-operation between the two countries' businesses?

As far as I know, Italian companies want more popular Italian brands to be recognised among Vietnamese. As of this time, apart from wine, other products such as food, fashion and scooters can be found throughout the country. Most recently, Italian businesses have become involved in liquefied petroleum gas and power investments in Vietnam.

In terms of domestic firms, Vietnamese tourism businesses should also explore ways of promoting Vietnam as a destination to the Italian market. I know many Italians love Vietnam but they know little about your country.