Jorge Alberto Rubio is an Argentine winemaker with more than 40 years dedicated to winemaking. At the end of the 90s, after years of experience as a winemaker in different wineries, he decided to embark on his own path.
Most of his career before starting his own project was done in the well-known “Pharaoh winery”, it is located in General Alvear and today, although it is out of operation, it is a museum full of history and representative of the viticulture of the area. The winery produces more than 8 million liters of wine per year and with advanced technology that Rubio himself helped grow.
Before studying oenology, Jorge wanted to be a doctor, but things took a different turn. Supported by his family, he began the dream of founding his own winery.
Since 2003, with the innovative spirit that has characterized it since its beginnings, it designs, produces and labels its own wines with the firm conviction of offering consumers expressive products, with their own style.
Jorge describes with an anecdote the international rise of the winery thanks to its distinctive leather label: “Our first export was to Denmark in 2007 and our wines were very popular. Years later, in 2017, the Copenhagen wine shop that sells our wines held a tasting and a young woman showed up, wearing a jacket made with the Privado’s leather labels. The truth is that it was a pleasant surprise,” he remembers.
Journalist: What is your role in the winery?
Jorge Rubio: I am the director of the winery. My job consists of leading the organization, making strategic decisions that ensure our sustainable growth and consolidation in the market.
Q: What are the challenges of the winery in the short and medium term?
JR: Our main challenge is to maintain sales and expand into markets in which we are not yet present. To achieve this, we focus on offering high-quality wines, strengthening our marketing strategies and optimizing the efficiency of our organization.
Q: How is the Argentine market compared to other more mature ones? What is missing to take the leap?
JR: The Argentine market has a very solid base thanks to the knowledge and appreciation of local consumers for wine. However, purchasing power is a limiting factor. Furthermore, we are seeing a global trend towards lower alcohol consumption: while in producing countries this consumption tends to decrease, in non-producing markets it is increasing. To make the leap, we must work on raising the perceived value of our products and adapt to these new trends.
Q: Is the luxury and high-end wine market more resistant to crises than other segments?
JR: Yes, it is a segment that is more resilient to economic crises. However, it is important to highlight that this is a smaller volume market, but with a great diversity of competing brands.
Q.: Which are the most permeable markets for exporting Argentine wines and which are the most reticent? Because?
JR: The most permeable markets include Brazil, the United States, England and the European Union. Brazil, in particular, stands out as a great partner thanks to its geographical proximity and the recognition that Brazilian consumers have for the quality of our wines. On the other hand, the most reticent markets tend to be those where cultural customs limit alcohol consumption, which creates additional challenges for positioning our products.
Q: What are the biggest difficulties in Argentina to produce and market wines?
JR: The biggest obstacle is inflation, coupled with changing economic policies. This makes planning and meeting the established objectives difficult, affecting both production and marketing.
Q: What is the view abroad of Argentine wines?
JR: Abroad, Argentine wines are recognized for their quality, although there is still a lot of work to do. Currently, we are very dependent on Malbec, but we have other varieties that have great potential and that we must position better in the global market.
Q: A favorite wine from your winery?
JR: The Malbec from Ánfora, the Privado Oasis Sur Pinot Noir and the Naranjo from A Contramano are some of my favorites.
blond3.png
Q: A wine that you fall in love with outside the winery?
JR: I am very attracted to varieties from northern Spain and Portugal such as Albariño and Verdejo, as well as native Austrian grapes such as Grüner Veltliner.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
