ABRAU-DURSO GROUP RESUMES EXPORTS TO THE U.S.

After a five-year pause, Abrau-Durso Group resumes deliveries of its products to the United States. Interbalt Fine Wine & Spirits, a supplier of spirits to the United States with over 20 years of experience, acts as Abrau-Durso’s partner. The first batch of Abrau-Durso sparkling wines will be available for purchase in the U.S. at the end of June 2021.

Negotiations over renewed supplies to the U.S. market started back in 2020, and the first batch of Abrau-Durso wines will hit the shelves as early as this June. Sparkling wines will lead the way to America, with the broadest range to be available in the U.S. market: from Charmat Russian Sparkling wines to Méthode Classique Victor Dravigny, Brut d'Or and Abrau Durso Cuvee Alexander II (marketed in Russia under the Imperial trademark). Abrau-Durso has become the only Russian winemaker whose wines can be currently purchased in the U.S.

To comply with the requirements applied to products marketed in the U.S., the label on each bottle must contain an indication of the geographical denomination of the area, in which the wine was produced. In order to market Abrau-Durso products, the Kuban protected geographical indication (PGI) was entered in the register of wines that are authorized to be sold in the U.S. marketplace. In the future, this will enable other Russian winemakers that will be exporting products to the U.S. to indicate this region on their labels.

“Getting back to the U.S. market is an important step in promoting Abrau-Durso Group’s exports. In the near future, we are looking to expand the range by adding the Vedernikov Winery wines, which is part of Abrau-Durso Group. This year, Abrau-Durso will market the broadest possible range of sparkling wines in the U.S. – almost everything that is available in Russia,” commented Abrau-Durso Group President Pavel Titov.

“The legendary Abrau-Durso brand, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year and has established itself as a manufacturer of high quality products, has the best potential for us of all Russian winemakers. We are planning to jointly launch an active marketing campaign across the country, including TV advertising. In doing so we cater for a most extensive range of consumers. We believe that our joint expertise will empower us to compete successfully in the category of sparkling wines with French cremant, Italian prosecco and Spanish cava wines, which are in the same price segment,” said Konstantin Khizder, founder of Interbalt Fine Wine & Spirits.

Abrau-Durso Group is Russia’s leading exporter of sparkling wines, including Méthode Classique wines. Abrau-Durso products are exported to 24 countries, including Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Finland, India, Japan, the Baltic States and the CIS, etc. Combined distribution in foreign markets totaled more than two million bottles in 2019–2020.