In today’s
Diario de Jerez Evaristo Babé, president of Fedejerez, outlines the situation
as he sees it:
"The
problem, which is really an internal matter and a mere storm in a teacup if you
consider the really important problems facing the Sherry business, is that a
small but vociferous minority of ten bodegas in Sanlúcar is illegally using BIB
to sell declassified wine – for which they have been denounced – and now they
are trying to use the DO Manzanilla. The regulations for the sale of Sherry and
Manzanilla state that “DO wines for public consumption shall be in a container
of glass or any other material which the Consejo might specify." The BIB is
neither made from glass nor approved by the Consejo, so it cannot legally be
used. Like it or not those are the regulations.
Of course they
could seek to change the rules, but this would have to be done through the
proper channels as established in legislation. So long as nobody seeks to
change the rules, those already in force must be obeyed. Anyone who does not agree
with the rules can always leave the DO as there is no requirement to belong.
What does
not fit in a democracy is flagrant breaking of the rules and the responsible
public administration not acting immediately to ensure the law is observed.
Public administrations are obliged to do this by checking, verifying,
investigating and inspecting any activity which might be necessary. Given the
importance of this matter, the need for the Junta to act is fundamental. It is
not just a question of mediating between who is breaking the law and who is
not, though efforts have been made to achieve a negotiated solution, but of
making the former comply.
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| Beltran Domecq and Evaristo Babe |
It is also
worth pointing out that the illegal and churlish press conferences called by a
small group of bodegas are very seriously prejudicing the trade and in
particular the image of the area’s DOs. This is very serious. The ten bodegas
in question read out a manifesto making them look like victims in this and
advocating a sort of “civil disobedience” like separatist politicians in Cataluña,
yet they only represent about 4% of the Sherry trade and 20% of the Manzanilla
trade. What about the rights of the 96% and 80% who obey the law completely?
Let’s be serious and show some respect please.
Another
point is that the non-compliance is also affecting the business of those who
are complying, though they could seek damages, and they should not have to put up any
longer with unfair competition. They pay their taxes upon which many jobs most certainly depend, and they feel let down by a minority who for months have been
refusing to obey the law.
We need to
get things back on course as soon as possible, to calm down the lawbreakers and
get them to obey the law. It is also necessary for the Junta to take action to
ensure this by prosecuting those who seem proud to break the law and stopping
them from doing such damage to a free market and to those who obey the law."
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