The bodega has already
begun to digitalise 20,000 documents, some dating back over 200 years, and some bearing famous XIX
century signatures. One was Washington Irving, the American writer and diplomat
famous for “Tales of the Alhambra” which he finished while staying with the
Osbornes. On his return to the United
States he offered to act as an ambassador for the family’s Sherries. Another
was Fernán Caballero, the pen name of writer Cecilia Böhl de Faber, whose
father was capataz at Osborne, and Isaac Peral of the Spanish Navy who invented
the first submarine to fire torpedoes. The archive also includes letters from
European royal households, the Vatican and one from an English army captain in Jamaica
ordering some Solera India.
 |
The first step of the digitalisation project
has been carried out using Telefónica’s Talentum programme by which a group of
ten young students, carefully selected from various disciplines such as
engineering, history and information technology have three months to delve into
the archive, which also includes account books. So far 300 of these fascinating
records have been digitalised, and can be seen on the Fundación Osborne website
www.fundacionosborne.org
 |
| Forecast volumes of Premium Sherry (source IWSR) |
According to the
International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR) volumes of premium Sherry could
grow 18% by 2021. Speaking
at Prowein, Germany’s major wine fair, González Byass president Mauricio González
declared that “volume is dead” and that producers should focus on selling the
more profitable, quality wines. He went on to say that consumer attitudes are
slowly changing and there is more activity among younger people, especially in
the drier and more upmarket styles, helped by the press and sommeliers. He
noted that education is of prime importance, but rather than getting too
technical it would be better to let people try the wines and how well they
match food. The rise of Spanish restaurants, tapas bars and Sherry bars is
helping a great deal.
No comments:
Post a Comment