Luvians wins 31 Days of German Riesling campaign

By James Bayley

Published: 21 August, 2024

For the thirteenth year running, July saw the UK trade dedicating the month to German Riesling, with 135 venues nationwide participating in a series of events, including German Riesling masterclasses, in-store promotions, wine dinners and social media initiatives.

Event organiser Wines of Germany UK announced Luvians in Scotland as the winner. Luvians, which previously won in 2021, showcased 40 different German Rieslings in its promotion. To kick off the month, the shop hosted a launch event featuring a Sekt, Trocken and Spätlese Riesling paired with deli snacks.

Each Saturday, different Rieslings were offered for in-store tastings, and a local restaurant partnered with Luvians to present a special Riesling pairing with its most popular starter and main course. The highlight of the month was a masterclass featuring six Rieslings, including Sekt, Kabinett and an orange wine, under the theme 'The Many Faces of Riesling'. Luvians also supported the campaign with activity on TikTok and Instagram.

Read more: Curious Vines launches non-wine skills workshop for female and non-binary talent

Archie McDiarmid, manager at Luvians Bottleshop in St Andrews, said: “That Luvians loves German Riesling is no secret, we’ve been devotees to the most noble of grapes ever since we opened over 40 years ago, but the joy of 31 Days of German Riesling is the excitement and focus it brings to our staff and customers year after year.

“It provides the opportunity for us to experiment with new producers, introduce people to new styles and remind them of old favourites. The enthusiasm and support we receive from German winemakers and importers has allowed us to expand our range to record levels, feature previously unlisted regions and means that in our wee corner of Fife, Riesling is for life, not just July.”

Cellar Door Wines was named runner-up, boosting sales with a diverse campaign that featured German Riesling at its Summer Wine party. The team participated in educational trips to two German wine regions, documented their experiences in blog posts and engaged in staff training with German wine specialist Wine Barn. Throughout the month, Cellar Door Wines offered tastings of four German Rieslings from wine dispensers, with an additional four available by the glass.

Nicky Forrest, MD of Wines of Germany UK, reflected on another successful 31 Days of German Riesling, congratulating the winner, runner-up and all participants.

“Sales of German Riesling increased by over 300% across the month, boosted by creative campaigns, sampling and events. We now want to challenge retailers to keep this momentum going for the rest of the year – we know you can do it,” Forrest said.

Printer friendly version