21.5.13 Jerez Countryside Plan Raises Interest in Vineyards

A municipal project, the Plan Especial de la Campina, to promote vineyard tourism should bring an end to the abandonment of vineyards as they could become more profitable. After years of non-profitability, many vinistas were considering throwing in the towel - and many already have. The vineyard area is at its lowest for a very long time.

The idea, in response to demand from the trade, is to link the production of grapes with tourism, such as agrotourism, which has already been successful. The viticultors don't yet know the details of the plan, but if approved, their associations, Asevi-Asaja and Aecovi-Jerez will  inform the potential beneficiaries. It has been pointed out, however, that the plan could put a stop to sales of vineyards because it could increase their value, which has declined throughout the long years of crisis.

Nevertheless, the idea sounds "interesting" to Francisco Guerrero, president of Asevi-Asaja, who points out that there will have to be a lot of investment in public and private administration, from which it could be hoped that aid could flow in via rural development plans, and which would give better access to finance for viticultors. Carmen Romero, of Aecovi-Jerez, thinks it is a "magnificent" idea which would help the countryside to diversify its activities and strengthen the environment and patrimony.

Casa de vina or caserio

While Romero is confident of the project, despite being well behind other wine regions who already have  such plans in place, Guerrero is convinced that it would have already been a great tourist attraction had it not been for the difficulties of the last few decades. "We have lived through very bad times, and the bodegas have exploited eno-tourism at their installations, without looking after the vineyards", he said, underlining that there are caserios (vineyard houses where the wine used to be made) which would be ideal for the purpose, like other regions' chateaux, where the bodega is part of the vineyard.

According to Guerrero, the growers have wanted to do something for years, but lack of finance, drinking water and suitable access made it impossible. He made the point that nonetheless, the council had once thought about creating a golf course in the countryside and had said that there would be no problem with supplying drinking water. "Up till now it was all problems, but it now seems that the council is disposed to make the vineyards a tourist attraction." He went on to say that having looked at the plans, he thought they had been well done, very detailed and had a complete census of the vineyards. The objective is to begin work in September, after the harvest, when Asevi-Asaja will take the plan to the growers and make up groups of interested parties for each area, in order to keep cost to a minimum.