Waitrose launches first Andalucían wine in UK supermarkets

Published: 01 August, 2016

Waitrose will this month launch ANDA, a new wine from Andalucía, into 77 of its stores across the UK and Waitrose Cellar online - making it the only non-fortified wine from the region available at a UK supermarket.

The ANDA brand has been developed by Bodegas Tierra Hermosa, the negociant-style wine producer founded by Englishman Harry Hunt.

It is a generic Andalucían brand, inspired by the region being the most "Spanish" part of the Iberian Peninsula and its popularity as a tourist destination.

"Millions of Brits holiday in Andalucía every year," Hunt said.

"It encapsulates everything they love about Spain - flamenco, castles, olive groves, sun, sea and sand - and most importantly, tapas. But most know very little about the exciting, modern wines being made up in the mountains behind their sun loungers - wines which are the perfect match for the Spanish dishes they love."

Andalucía is an autonomous region in southern Spain, well known for its sherries, although is relatively unknown as a wine region.

Hunt added: "Alongside its well-known sherries, Andalucían wines are now slowly gaining in reputation and recognition in the UK. Our existing Tierra Hermosa range is making great strides in the independent and on-trade sectors, with listings at Michelin-star restaurants. But in terms of the wider mass market, Andalucía really is an undiscovered wine region."

Nick Room, wine buyer for Waitrose, said Spanish wine is "extremely important" to Waitrose's portfolio.

"We are continually looking for new excitement in this ever-impressive wine region. Set against fine tradition, innovation and value are Spain's watchwords. Spanish wine sales in Waitrose continue to grow (+2% YoY Source IRI value sales to 25 June 16). ANDA represents another new departure for us, which we are thrilled to be working closely on with partner Bodegas Tierra Hermosa," he said.

The first wine under the ANDA brand is a Tempranillo/Syrah blend made from grapes grown at 1000m altitude within the mountains of Almeria province in eastern Andalucía, where the grapes are exposed to hot days and cool nights.

It is a collaboration between Harry Hunt and young Andalucían winemaker, Nacho Suárez.

In contrast to the brand's existing Bodegas Tierra Hermosa range which focuses on Andalucía sub-regions, the ANDA brand is deliberately generic to act an introduction for the UK off-trade.

Hunt explained: "Wider consumer knowledge of the region in wine terms is too embryonic to drill down into individual provinces, at least for now, so ANDA can act as a fantastic introduction to Andalucían wines. It also allows the brand to tap into consumers' pre-existing affinity and associations with the region as a whole.

"We plan to roll out the ANDA brand into other international markets, with a particular focus on those countries where Andalucía is a popular tourist destination. Over the medium term we would like to expand the ANDA range to include further wines and perhaps other Andalucían products. It has great potential and adaptability."

The ANDA Tempranillo/Syrah blend will retail at Waitrose at £7.99.

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