French wine co-ops seek unified voice in U.S

An affiliation of eight wine cooperatives in France have formed a company with a goal of promoting a single, unified wine brand to the U.S. market.

The company, OVS opened its U.S. offices in Miami last month operating under the name OWS. It represents wineries with the highest production capacity in France and the ability to source wines from all regions and varietals.

The group is trying to shake the what it says is the perception in the United States that French wines are “stuffy” and “outdated.” With a marketing campaign OVS will seek to increase sales of its Chamarré –brand of wine from 4 million bottles to 30 million by 2010, which would make it one of the three largest wine brands in the country. Chamarré has three wines currently on the market in a distinctive butterfly designed bottle. Picked to be the president and CEO is OWS is Hubert Surville, who was most recently President of the spirits division of Boisset America.