Due to the
shortage of grapes from the drought-ridden 2012 harvest, the price of musts has
virtually doubled – though still 12% below the average price in Spain.
For the time being many bodegas are maintaining existing
prices, as it takes a long time for new wines to come through the system. Producers estimate that the price of recent sales
of must in the area (@360 Euros per 500 litre butt) have almost doubled in the
last year. In the case of grapes, the
price has also doubled, from 18-24 centimos per kilo to around 36 centimos last
year.
Francisco Guerrero, president of the growers, reckons that
the bodegas will have to gradually increase their bottled wine prices to cover
the rise in the cost of raw material. The wines are ridiculously cheap anyway.
According to the Observatorio Espanol del Mercado del Vino
(OEMV), the 2012 harvest in Spain generally came to about 33million hl, 7
million hl or roughly 20% below average, the same as in Jerez. With shortages
of grapes/wine in France and Italy as well, there has been heavy demand for
blending wines resulting in inevitable price rises.
Bodegas Emilio
Lustau has finished 2012 as the Spanish bodega winning most prizes - 82 trophies
and medals. This puts the firm in seventh position in the world in the list
published by the World Association of Journalists and Writers on Wines and
Spirits. This does not include Robert Parker putting 25 Lustau wines among the
best in the World. Spain as a country came third after the USA and France.
The Consejo
Regulador is re-starting the monthly Initiation to Sherry tastings which it
does at the Casa del Vino on the first Saturday of the month as of the 2nd
February after the Christmas break.
The tasting course will start with the Pemartin range
produced by Diez Merito, and will be imparted by the bodega’s enologist, Jose
Antonio Portales along with the Consejo Director, Cesar Saldana. The tastings,
which bring together Sherry aficionados and professionals with the top wines,
include a seminar on vitiviniculture, sensorial analysis and tasting techniques,
and an accreditive diploma.
The prices are 12 Euros for the seminar and tasting, and 18
Euros for the virtual tasting kit. Places should be booked in advance at the
Aula de Formacion (vinjerez@sherry.org)
as places are limited. Tastings last for two hours, from 12.00 – 14.00.
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| La Casa del Vino, Jerez |
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