After speaking with Christophe Kaczmarek, founder of Caaaaaaat and Coq au Vin, one thing became clear: while natural wine can be seen as niche and many in the market look at it snobbishly, there's a still something that can be learnt from these small producers' approach to branding, marketing and distribution.
Here's 3 key insights from the interview:
- Labels matter more than the industry wants to admit Christophe argues the label is usually the first decision-maker on the shelf. In a world of brands that all look like each other, a different label attracts curiosity first and drives purchase. The wine then just has to live up to the promise. As supermarket shelves become more and more intimidating with hundreds of bottles that look the same, differentiation begins visually.
- Gen Z isn’t “abandoning wine”, they’re rejecting old wine codes Younger consumers are not anti-wine; they’re anti-conservatism in wine. They care less about varietals and more about values, aesthetics, and authenticity. The industry often complains that "young people don't drink wine", but is that true? Or are they just looking for something that speaks their language? New generations will probably never buy wine at a supermarket, but they'll make an impulse purchase if their favourite celebrity is sponsoring a limited edition bottle or they attend a branded event they cannot forget. The future lies in physical spaces and experiences.
- Distribution is the real bottleneck According to Chris, many importers, agents, and wine shops are missing the natural wine shift just like they missed the early days of craft beer. Yet, despite the hype around DTC and disintermediation, he believes intermediaries will remain crucial - that is if they create real value. Deep market knowledge, long-term relationships, and on-the-ground presence matter more than ever.
You can read the full transcript of the episode here.
Interested in learning more about Dolia?
Get a demo