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Even Without Awards or Noble Grapes, Pérgola Wine Leads the Brazilian Market with Sweet Flavor and Direct-to-Consumer Strategy
The most popular wine in Brazil is not on the year’s best lists, is not the most awarded, nor is it made with internationally recognized wine grapes. Still, Pérgola, a table wine produced by Vinícola Campestre, is the absolute sales leader in the country.
With over 40 million bottles sold per year, Pérgola has held the top market position for a decade, according to Nielsen data released by the company itself.
The recipe for this success strays far from refined labels. The secret, according to Campestre, lies in the sweet and simple flavor that appeals to the average consumer.
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João Zanotto, CEO of Campestre, explains that the company has faced prejudice against table wine.
To address this, it employed techniques from large wineries, invested in the production chain, and focused on direct communication with the public, delivering the product in a way that consumers prefer.
The company generates around R$ 500 million with this category and holds 20% of the table wine market, which moves 220 million liters annually.
Even though it is the most popular category, it still struggles with the image of being an inferior product. This challenge has been faced with practical actions.
Tastings in Supermarkets and Word-of-Mouth Marketing
To change this perception, Campestre invested in direct actions. For over 20 years, teams from the winery have toured supermarkets offering tastings of the beverage. The goal is to present the flavor to the public and break prejudices.
Additionally, the company trains sellers and distributors to aid in customer engagement. This grassroots work has created a relationship of trust with the consumer.
Even without being the cheapest or the most acclaimed, Pérgola has become synonymous with reliability. “People know they will have something that they won’t regret,” said Zanotto.
Criticism of the sweet flavor is common. Many compare the wine to grape juice. For the Campestre director, this is not a problem. “It is precisely this simple taste that people like,” he explained.
Zanotto claims that even consumers from the upper class buy the wine. According to him, some enjoy fine wines but prefer something sweeter on certain occasions. The result has been a shift in the sector itself.
Seeing Pérgola’s success, other companies have started investing in higher quality table wines, moving away from the old model of large barrels and careless production. “We have helped a lot with this,” Zanotto said.
Specialization and Professionalization
The story of Campestre began in the 1960s, in Serra Gaúcha. From the beginning, the company focused on table wine.
The strategic decision was to use the best grapes from the region – varieties like Bordô and Isabel – and apply techniques from fine wines, such as temperature control during fermentation.
This specialization was the first step to changing the image of table wine. The company also created a line of fine wines under the Zanotto brand, cultivated in Vacaria, at an altitude of one thousand meters.
The varieties used in this line include Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. The project is more expensive and has a slow return. “We had a plan for losses for ten years, but it has already been 15,” revealed Zanotto.
Pérgola: Growing Export
Even with a focus on the domestic market, Campestre also bets on exports. In 2023, the company shipped 500 thousand bottles of Pérgola to the United States. The goal now is to double this volume. Other markets include Guyana, Paraguay, and African countries.
Thus, the wine that many experts turn their noses up at remains firmly the favorite of Brazilians. And now, it also wins over consumers outside the country.
With information from Bloomberg Línea.
Eu uso esse vinho para temperar carne de porco, lombo ou pernil.
Voce jura que nos EUA estão trocando os vinhos californianos por essa pé****…
É um bom vinho para usar como tempero, quase tão bom e bem mais barato do que o vinagre balsâmico italiano que eu usava.