Master of Wine and wine director of Hatch Mansfield
The packaging on both Emva wines is dull: the bottles are cheap and the corks have no branding a missed opportunity. The wines are dull as well. The red is thin and weedy with a rather unattractive metallic feel. The white is better, with modern winemaking techniques in evidence. It is much fresher, with more fruit on the nose but it is still very neutral and boring with a slightly sulphury flavour and not enough acidity to give it structure. There is nothing special in either and at £4.49 they are going to struggle against the strong competition. If they can get any retail presence, they will only sell on promotion. Rating out of 25 8
Gary McCall
Managing director of Poulter Partners
This packaging must be designed to get existing Emva fortified wine customers to buy Emva wines, because it will do nothing to appeal to a wider audience. To be blunt, the labelling is tacky and reminds me of the house wines you have presented to you on a packaged holiday. Even at close examination it is difficult to see what the label background is depicting and the generic descriptors 'Cyprus white wine' and 'red wine' again reinforce a house wine status. Emva wines may be noticed on shelf because of their brashness, but I would suggest the packaging will do little to entice trial. Rating out of 25 7
Carol Du Cann
Senior buyer (beers, wines and spirit) at Alldays
The presentation looks cheap. Short, stumpy, bottles, tacky front label and the back fails to give you even the grape varieties. If these are supposed to appeal to younger consumers, who do they mean? The under 90s who have had a taste bypass ? The juice itself is not as poor as the packaging. The white smelt ok, but tasted sugary sweet, rather than dry, while the red's nose was fine, but it tasted bland and watery. I don't believe these wines are a "true expression" of Cyprus and may even do the country's reputation some harm, particularly at £4.49. A brand name is not enough. Rating out of 25 5
Total score out of 100 24
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