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| Up Close and Personal with Miguel Torres Jr. |
| The old order changeth! Miguel Torres Maczassek a.k.a. Torres Jr. suggested that this apothegm does not necessarily apply, especially when one talks of traditional finesse with a modern outlook. Ravi Joshi and Rajiv Singhal met Torres Jr. at the Hyatt Regency New Delhi, for a free-wheeling chat on his first ever visit to New Delhi, even if it was only for a few hours in transit to China. |
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Miguel Torres Maczassek a.k.a. Torres Jr. |
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| Torres is the World’s Most Admired Wine Brand for the second year running according to Decanter magazine. Miguel A Torres is the President of this family owned and managed wine empire, and the 5th generation Torres Jr. is the Director General, working closely with his sister Mireia, and cousins Arnaldo and Cristina. |
| In the context of Ravi Joshi’s meeting with Torres Sr. at the Torres headquarters in Vilafranca del Penedès last year (read vino india, January 27), the plans of Torres Gen Next were new pieces in the puzzle. Torres Jr. was surprisingly upfront. He is truly different, and has a vision – he accepts the high taxation in India as a condition international players have to accept, even if he believes that rationalisation (like in China) is important. "To be patient" is how he summarized his India approach. He sympathised with the drive for profits of "listed" peers from the word "go", and shared that as a family enterprise, Torres can afford to take a long term view in developing markets like India. |
| For the next 2-3 years, Torres Jr. does not see any change in their ongoing strategy in India to create a conducive environment for their premium wines through customer contact and sommelier training. To reduce the knowledge deficit in the market, international sommeliers and/or Brand Ambassadors have been stationed in India to facilitate one-on-one interaction with wine consumers and the wine teams in hotels and restaurants. That Torres wines are listed extensively and also in restaurants that are supplied by "monopolies", is a sign that the results are positive. And Torres Jr. lauds partner, Prestige Wines and Spirits, for this effort. |
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| But, is there a risk that innovation could suffer? Torres Jr. emphasizes that their business has continuously evolved over generations. His great-great grandfather and great grandfather started the wine business as négociants. In 1940, his grandfather started bottling his own wines. His father aimed to improve the production of higher quality wines. Now as the 5th generation, he and his siblings are committed to produce more premium wines like the single vineyard Mas La Plana and Les Grands Muralles. |
| Torres' biggest Asian market is Japan, followed by China. Where does India stand in this milieu? Torres Jr. says, "My family and I are very fond of India and are quite upbeat about the business prospects here. The potential for growth is the new generation in India which is tilting towards wine. However, it might be a while before business reaches "appreciable" levels – but we are prepared to go for the long haul."
To get an insight into the Torres mindset and philosophy, our conversation meandered through other non-India focus issues, for which Torres has been in the limelight. |
| Sustainability: Torres Jr. shared a study of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, which predicts that the global temperature will increase by as much as 4°C by the year 2100. For the wine industry, this implies that the optimal viticultural band will shift and cultivation areas will move towards the mountains. Many varietals known today may be replaced by those that adapt better to new conditions. And here, he is very proud that the Torres project of reviving lost Catalan varietals (shared with Ravi Joshi by Torres Sr.) has 2 out of 36 revived varietals that show outstanding capability to produce top wines with less water and high heat tolerance. But he insists that, since the average age of a vineyard is 60-80 years, the wine world should take important environmental decisions to be better prepared for 2100. |
| Torres has committed resources in excess of €10 mn in the past few years, and these efforts have have reduced their carbon footprint by 10% per bottle in the period 2008-15 – with an aim for 30% per bottle by 2020. |
| Expansion: Torres acquired 230 hA of vineyards in Itata in Southern Chile, famed for its agricultural potential with some vines as old as 200 years. Torres Jr. predicts Itata will be the new Maipo Valley of Chile in view of the expected climate change and water shortage in the Central Valley. Torres Jr. also shared with vino india, that by the end of 2015, Torres will release 200 cases of a very special wine called Empedrado, the grapes for which are grown on hillside terraces on the Maule coast, quite like in Europe. This wine will carry a unique character of Chile, and will be the first slate soil wine from the country, somewhat like the Priorat. |
| We ask him if the new "Make in India" policy rolls out enough for Torres to make wine in India. While he thinks of this as a prospect for "sometime in the distant future", he believes their focus is on expanding in regions where they have already been working, notably so, regions in Spain like Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Rueda where they have taken their time to understand the terroirs. "It takes lots of time and resources to produce good wine in a particular region and we cannot be doing so everywhere, at the same time." The exact words of Miguel Torres Sr. as shared with Ravi Joshi! |
| Project Cava: This was first shared with vino india by Torres Sr. last year and has since been spoken of by many in the wine circles. The first Torres Cava is scheduled for release in 2016, and Torres Jr. believes that this limited production (3000 cases) premium Cava is exactly what his generation identifies with. Did he offer any advice to his sister, Mireia who spearheads the Cava project, given his experience of producing Santa Digna Estelado – a sparkling Rosé? Torres Jr. chuckles and says that he simply advised her to make the best Cava in the world. |
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| At vino india, we have a very kind offer from Torres Jr. to share a coup de Cava on his next visit and got a Torres tie as the key to this invitation. Well past our slotted time, we had to sign off, but not before a photo op with the Torres scion. We say goodbye with fond memories of this crisp and rewarding interaction – and some Cava dreams! |
| vino india met with Miguel Torres Maczassek as he swung by New Delhi for his first ever visit, even if for a few hours to share his thoughts on India, Torres and the future. The interview at the Hyatt Regency New Delhi Club Floor Conference Room was arranged by Prestige Wines and Spirits. Please share any feedback with vino india info@vinoindia.in |
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