News from Jerez 6.8.12

Two items today:

In the light of this year's small harvest, some in Jerez are wondering if the "adjustment" (grubbing up vines to balance supply and demand) has gone too far. The mean years which have seen dozens of growers ruined or close to ruin - and some bodegas too, are thought to be over and the crisis to have bottomed out, but there is little agreement on what steps to take now.

Grape price rises are inevitable, and while bodegas and the CRDO are happy with moderate rises, the growers want compensation for the mean years whose effects can be widely seen. The countryside once dominated by the green of vineyards is now full of bald patches where vines once grew.

The CRDO calculates a quota of 3 litres of wine in crianza for every 1 litre sold guaranteeing 4 years of sales, but some worry that after 4 years there might be shortages - especially after this year's small crop. One can see the wisdom of Grupo Estevez' canny move in buying 400 hectares of old Domecq vineyard. There are now only 6,900 hectares registered at the CRDO, of which only 6013 are in production for Sherry. The remaining 887 hectares are either used for concentrated must or vino de color, or are in a poor state due to abandonment. Unattended vineyards give cause for concern for the spread of infections and insects, the latter prevalent in dry years such as this one. Putting these back into production will cost more than anyone has.

While EU planting liberalisation could help recuperate part of the vineyard area without the need to pay for planting rights - which are still held by the beneficiaries of EU sponsored grubbing up or victims of abandonment - it would take until at least 2018 to come into force.

Construction companies have caused further worries by buying up speculatively vineyards close to the city intending to build. They too, however have been hit by the crisis, and nothing has been built, leaving these vineyards abandoned and uncared for. The demise of Nueva Rumasa has caused Garvey's San Patricio
vineyard to be untended, and it is not alone.



Luckily there is also some good news from Jerez!

Gonzalez Byass is hosting a classical concert performed by The Soloists of London on the 14th August. It will be conducted by Andrew Coman, and is the first of a series of annual events planned by the bodega. The idea is that guests will tour the bodega, stopping at particularly nice spots and enjoy a glass of fine Sherry while the 17 musicians play. Afterwards an a la carte dinner will be served in the open air. Future events will provide a variety of music, including Flamenco and Jazz. Yet another innovation from GB!