46 Parallel Wine Group #28
Proudly Ukrainian: a mission of the brand
46 Parallel Wine Group presented itself at the very beginning of 2020. The company was born out of the dream of Anna and Taras Gorkun: to create wonderful Ukrainian wines worthy of making Ukraine’s sartorial statement in the world of winemaking.
Anna Gorkun, CEO of 46 Parallel Wine Group, applied the tactics of slashing drive in extreme conditions. Now, the market players declare that 46 Parallel has rapidly – within less than a year – become a real national brand. As to the company’s credo – Proudly Ukrainian – it has been confirmed as a result of the company’s recognition at the world level.
Philosophy and concept
Initially, the company decided to launch two wine brands at once: because they saw a free category in the premium wines segment, as well as an unfilled niche of a high-quality wine for everyday consumption. Our idea is that we, Ukrainians, intend to promote such Ukrainian products based on exceptional quality and its origin. Given that imperative, the author’s collections of dry wines of the premium segment were formed: elite vintage Grand Admiral and lighter, elegant El Capitan wines of an absolutely amazing quality. The portfolio of the first Ukrainian emotional wine brand Apostrophe was also formed.
Representing the best regions of Ukraine
At the same time, one of our differences distinguishing us from a number of other producers is that we create wines without being tied to one vineyard, which means that we have the opportunity to choose the best grapes every year and guarantee permanent quality. This does not, at all, imply the rejection of advantages offered by a terroir; it is quite the opposite: we have the opportunity to represent the best regions of Ukraine. In the Odessa Region, we are working on the entire group of sparkling wines and most of the white ones. The red wines of the Grand Admiral collection are created from grapes purchased in Kherson Region. In fact, we have covered two major regions at once.
Entering the international markets
The slogan of our company is Proudly Ukrainian. It should be emphasized that despite the “tender age” of 46 Parallel Wine Group and the turbulence of the first year of its operations, we already do have something to be proud of. It is true that the lockdown had seriously complicated the implementation of our export plans: virtually all major international exhibitions were canceled.
Partnership with Drinks+ Media Group
Nevertheless, at the very beginning of the year, in partnership with Drinks+ Media Group, we were able to present our wines to the international audience at the Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris exhibitions and at the exclusively organized tastings of our wines in the USA and Germany, with participation of international experts of the highest rank. It should be emphasized that the very first reviews of our wines by world experts were very positive.
Contests and awards
46 Parallel Wine Group is the only Ukrainian company that gained the award of the leading international contest Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2020: El Capitan Pinot Gris wine was awarded a silver medal. This is an eloquent message: the Ukrainian wines deserve to be on the same list with the world’s best wines. Moreover, 46 Parallel may become the country’s calling card on the international arena.
At the USA Wine Ratings competition, already two wines of our company won silver awards: red dry vintage from a premium collection: Grand Admiral Cabernet Sauvignon-Saperavi-Merlot (vintage 2016) and sparkling rosé from Pinot Meunier by Charmat method: El Capitan Brut Rosé. However, the gold medal was shortly added to the portfolio of our 2020 international awards. The premium wine – Grand Admiral Cabernet Sauvignon-Saperavi-Merlot (vintage 2016) was awarded the Grand Gold Medal at the competition Sélections Mondiales des Vins Canada. The wines of the Grand Admiral and El Capitan were awarded medals at the Ukrainian contests: Odessa Bay, Ukraine Wine & Spirits Awards, Wine Guide of Ukraine, and En Primeur from the Black Sea Craft Wine Association. The achievements of the first year of the company’s operations include the fact that Apostrophe TM wines, along with the products of other Ukrainian producers, but exclusively in the wine category, are promoted under the collective brand #TradeWithUkraine on China’s leading online B2B platform 1688.сom. At the present stage, another very strong marketing project pertaining to our positioning abroad is ongoing, but due to the lockdown in most European countries, it is still on pause. I hope that by spring 2021, I will have the details to share with the connoisseurs of our wines.
