El territorio como factor de éxito en la supervivencia exportadora. El vino en Castilla-La Mancha

Abstract

THE TERRITORY AS A FACTOR OF SUCCESS IN EXPORT SURVIVAL: WINE IN CASTILLA-LA MANCHA analyses, through the case of wine in Castilla-La Mancha, the geographical, historical and production aspects that influence the export survival of wineries, favouring externalities such as tourism. Castile-La Mancha is the main wine producing region in Spain, and one of the most important in the world, at least in terms of the volumes of wine produced. However, despite the large quantities of wine produced, the appreciation and value of its wines are still below those from regions such as Burgundy in France or Piedmont in Italy. This situation is owed to the association of La Mancha’s wines with the mass production of low-priced wine, because the most common commercial strategy among wineries and wine cooperatives in the region is to maximize production and gain a competitive edge through cost reduction. This situation, which is revealing of a reactive attitude towards exports, has led to a lack of planning and long-term resources in the wineries, which in turn has generated a problem of export survival. In fact, almost half of the region’s exporters are incapable of sustaining this activity uninterrupted for more than four years at a stretch. This doctoral thesis analyses the ways in which the lack of added value to the wine product, as understood in terms of the inability to draw benefit from the territorial elements that determine added value, threatens the export survival of Castile-La Mancha’s wineries. History, geography, and production methods are keys to increasing the demand and the value of a wine and, therefore, its profitability at the level of exports. Within the scope of territorial elements, the concept of Protected Designations of Origin plays a key role in the sense that it underscores the differentiated-quality marks which certify the existence and uniqueness of the territorial elements that translate into added value to wine. With these elements, and a shift towards a proactive attitude that considers export as a central piece of the wineries’ commercial strategy, the survival and export profitability of wineries in the region can be improved. In addition, a product with high added value fosters positive externalities such as wine tourism, which in turn improve the image, demand, and value of the product. As demonstrated throughout the thesis, Castile-La Mancha is endowed with territorial elements to enhance the value of its wines: a long history and winemaking tradition, a large territory with unique physical and climatic characteristics, rich traditions as well as cultivation and production techniques that constitute the socioeconomic fabric of the region.