Vinoble 2014

Having just returned from Vinoble, I feel in an optimistic mood. The show has been very successful with a large number of international visitors, from the wine and catering trade to the press and television. Everyone in Jerez has really made an effort, and it shows. As far as I could see, everything ran very smoothly. I came away thinking it is not about the price of Sherry, but its value, which is immense. It brings with it such a long tradition and exciting culture - and perhaps slightly overshadowed quite a few of the international wines present.

With the world looking on, after the cancellation of 2012, and Jerez being European City of Wine, things had to go well. Lots of bodegueros were on hand, and/or their oenologists or salespeople, the Consejo president Beltran Domecq was there, as was director Cesar Saldana. He pointed out that in the 4 years since the last Vinoble, Sherry has become fashionable again, and now is the perfect moment to reinforce its status. He also said that this is a unique forum for "noble" wines, sweet and fortified, which have somehow survived, and put quality before fashion. And the exciting thing is that people flocked to taste them. And no wonder!

Naturally, in its very heartland, Sherry was most obvious, but there were all kinds of interesting wines from Germany, Hungary, the USA, Italy, Georgia, France, Portugal, to name a few, and other Spanish wines from the Canaries, Montilla, Huelva... You could have had a really interesting visit without even trying a single Sherry. But that would have been a sin! Then there were olive oils, local (and superb) Payoyo cheese...

Everything was organised with very little time, and insufficient money, with lots of people and organisations involved, but it all seemed to go pretty well, especially with the addition of food in the form of Gastrovinoble with top chefs. Lessons have been learned. More time will be allowed next time. There is a real will for this event to take place again in 2016. And not just for Sherry. But that is not the end of it for now...

On Monday 2nd June there will be another whopping boost to Sherry's fortunes with the International Sherry Week celebrations. This event, organised as World Sherry Day for the first time last year,  and again with too little time, was a great success. This year there are no fewer than 6 times the number of events, and it lasts for a week. It is lovely to see just how many people want Sherry to succeed again. I should point out that World Sherry Day and International Sherry Week are two different things. It is the latter which is happening now. A week of Sherry will always be better than a day!

Let us hope that finally people stop saying that Sherry is SUCH amazing value but don't buy it. Let us hope that people get out there and enjoy this treasure with all sorts of food, and let us hope that - as good wine should - it brings people together, and that Sherry will, at last turn the corner and be recognised for what it is.

29.5.14 London Sherry Dinner; Vinoble Results; Yet Another Medal for Lustau Oenologist

A gastronomic presentation with Sherry is to take place in London. The provincial government of Cadiz and Turismo Andaluz are behind the event which is timed to coincide with London Wine Week, and Jerez European City of Wine.

The idea is to promote Sherry and its suitability as a wine to accompany food. On Wednesday 5^th June, chef Mauro Barreiro will present a dinner marrying Sherry with Atun de Almadraba (net-caught Atlantic Bluefin tuna, among other delights, at the prestigious Hispania restaurant at Lombard St. in the City of London.

There will be a tasting led by Beltran Domecq beforehand, and there can be no doubt that the event will be well attended by press, somelliers, restaurateurs, wine trade etc. Details can be found on this website: www.sherryinstitute.co.uk

Vinoble 2014 has been judged a great success by the organisers. A staggering 150,000 glasses were used during the 3 day event. The city of Jerez also benefitted, as hotels were approaching capacity and restaurants did well. It was great to see a buzz going through town. 98% of the 200 exhibitors will be back, and the other 2% will probably be back. 8,000 professionals came through the gates of the Alcazar. After the disappointment of the event’s cancellation in 2012, such is now the enthusiasm that the organisers are beginning to think of holding some event in the odd years as well as the even. They will also start work on Vinoble 2016 a bit sooner.

One of the tasting spaces at Vinoble

 Lustau oenologist, Manuel Lozano, has received yet another honour. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Oenological Merit by the Spanish Federation of Oenologists’ Associations at their recent congress held in Jerez. He’ll be needing a longer mantelpiece!

Manuel Lozano at another award ceremony

Vinoble - Welcome Back!

It is really great news that Vinoble can take place again next year. It is a wonderful event, scattered inside and out all round the Alcazar, showcasing great wines from all over the world, as long as they are sweet or fortified - or both.

Patio de las Armas, Alcazar, Jerez

Naturally, Sherry has centre stage - and there are very many - but lots of other wines from Spain are present, such as Canarias, Malaga, Huelva, Fondillon and Montilla. But the show is far more diverse. Over the last three events, I have come across wines from Greece, USA, France, Canada, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and many more.

There are many bodega stands, as well as generic and Consejo stands. Here is a great place to taste truly interesting wine, and often to meet its producer. Having done so, there is a wide variety of restaurants not too far away, where one can indulge in local gastronomy and drink more Sherry!

It was an embarrassing shame that last year's event had to be cancelled, but there just wasn't the money. Congratulations to all concerned in the renaissance of this great event! So now it will be taking place next year, I urge you to go, you can't fail to have a wonderful time!

PS One is supposed to be in the trade, but I'm sure you can blag it.

Equestrian Tourism Centre? Vinoble 2014

The Ayuntamiento (Council) of Jerez planning department has given the green light to a new project in the famaous Macharnudo vineyards, which are situated about 5 km. from Jerez on the Trebujena road. The plan is to set up an Equestrian Tourism Centre, which it is hoped, will give a new image to this agricultural area by demonstrating its beauty while creating jobs.

Existing vineyard buildings can be used without in any way inflicting environmental or urbanistic damage. The project envisages the adaptation of two of the buildings of the Casa de Las Carrenas by doing some construction work in the main building of some 672 square metres, and the bodega section of some1,000 square metres.

Many old vineyard buildings were known as “casas de la vina”. They were places where harvesters could eat and sleep, with attendant winemaking facilities: presses, lagares (treading troughs),mats for drying the grapes, stables and barrels for the wine’s fermentation. It was usually only after the fermentation that the “mosto” (newly made wine) was transported to Jerez for ageing. All that has changed, and nowadays the grapes usually come direct to the main bodegas for processing, (avoiding a lot of oxidation en route!) So no more bullock carts dragging barrels, just lorries and traffic congestion!

Macharnudo vineyards (masjerez.com)

Vinoble, the bi-annual sweet and fortified wine fair which takes place at the Alcazar in Jerez is to receive financial support to the tune of 100,000 euros from the Ministry of Agriculture. There will also be finance from local government. The 2014 edition can now go ahead after lack of finance put paid to the 2012 edition. Furthermore, 2014 will be the 750^th anniversary of the re-conquest of Jerez. The mayor, Maria Jose Garcia Pelayo has confirmed that the state will pay one third of the costs of putting on the event, which will take place in the first week of June.

The mayor now has about 300,000 euros for the event, and the minister of agriculture of the Junta de Andalucia is expected to offer a contribution as well, after all his withdrawal of support was one reason for the event’s cancellation last time. In a recent meeting with the Consejo Regulador, he said he would look at the situation favourably, given the importance of the event.

The mayor hopes to have all the finance in place in order to progress with the programming of this the 8^th Vinoble. She is also thinking of extending the event from four days to up to two weeks, with many spin-off events. She is also keen on the Consejo’s idea that Jerez could go for the European City of Wine designation in 2014. There is a rotating network of European Wine cities, of which Jerez is one, and perhaps it is Jerez’s turn.

Among the other possibilities in play are a congress of winemakers and a congress of Consejos Reguladores. The latter would be for the Jerez Consejo to organise, and they have given full support to Vinoble, along with a contribution of 50,000 euros from their budget. The Council is determined to do the maximum for the minimum, and with cost cutting here and there, they think they can pull it off without losing quality – or indeed improving it.

23.12.12 Vinoble Back; Pope claims 3 Kings came from Spain

The great Sweet and Fortified Wine fair held every two years since 2000 at the Alcazar in Jerez will take place again in 2014. This year’s event was cancelled due to lack of support from the Jerez Council and the Regional Government. The 2014 event will likely take place during the second fortnight of May or the first fortnight of June.

The chief organiser of the last event was Pancho Campo of the Wine Academy, and it is hoped that Jesus Barquin of Equipo Navazos will be in charge for the next event. While available finances are still tight, every effort will be made to do more with less in order to retain the quality and professional ambience of the event.

In his recently published book "Jesus of Nazareth, The Infancy Narratives", Pope Benedict XVI claims that the Three Kings came from Tartessus, which is thought to have been in the Sherry area. The whole thing is surrounded in archaeological and historical doubt, but it is possible. Maybe, just maybe, one of the gifts to the infant might have been Sherry?!