Marcelo Papa takes top wine job as Concha y Toro named biggest mover of 2016

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 28 November, 2017

Marcelo Papa has been appointed technical director of South American wine behemoth Concha y Toro.

Among his new responsibilities, Papa will lead the technical management of the company’s entire product portfolio which spans 10,800 hectares in Chile, Argentina and the US.

Papa has climbed the creative chain of command over the years, previously as head winemaker of the Puente Alto Winery and also helming the well-known Casillero del Diablo label.

Papa is known for his ability to bring a sense of origin across a variety of styles and was also responsible for implementing improved agricultural and oenological management techniques for the Marques de Casa Concha label.

During his 20-year tenure with the company, Concha y Toro has continued to grow its global presence and as of 2016, was the fourth biggest selling wine brand in the world.

Figures from the IWSR released this month show that Concha y Toro’s range was the most notable mover in the a list of top ten wine brands, increasing by more than 1m nine-litre cases to take swap places with Spain’s Félix Solís.

The Chilean company’s biggest win came in its domestic market, with volume growth of almost 400,000 cases.

Premium brand line Casillero del Diablo continued to gain strongly in the UK, up 9% on 2015, to cap overall Concha y Toro range growth of over 300,000 cases in the country.

It enjoyed further strong increases in the Netherlands, Mozambique and the US.

French wine brand Castel Frères meanwhile was named the largest still wine brand in the world for the second year in a row despite dropping 800,000 nine-litre cases between 2015 and 2016.

Three out of the top ten brands listed the UK as their primary export markets: Barefoot and Gallo by E & J Gallo and Félix Solís.