The project 'Better with Wine', the IPEX, Grandes Pagos of Spain, Caja Rural de Ciudad Real and the Denomination of Origin Wines from Alicante will be making the excellence of exceptional wines known to all

26.04.2009 | 

Lovers of the wine culture will have a tight schedule if they want to broaden their knowledge about exceptional wines or on how to choose wines that pair with and enhance succulent dishes elaborated with food products that are traditional in Castellano-Manchego cuisine. FENAVIN has programmed a series of tasting sessions and pairing sessions, for which it will count with the knowledge and professional standing of the Institute for Foreign Promotion of Castilla-La Mancha (IPEX), with the 'Better with Wine' Project, the Association of Grandes Pagos of Spain, Caja Rural de Ciudad Real and the Denomination of Origin Wines from Alicante.

The activities kick-off on Tuesday the 5th, starting with pairing proposals included in the 'Better with Wine' Project, "The Vegetables and Garden Produce of Castilla-La Mancha in the Kitchen", to then continue on the 7th with "Salt Cod and Game in Manchego Cuisine", basic and succulent ingredients in both the elaboration of the most traditional dishes, as well as in the more innovative to be found in current Castellano-Manchego cuisine. As explained by the Manager of this initiative, Cristina Miranda, the objective when participating in these types of events is to create culture and promote sound consumption, covering not only its promotion, but also training and allocation.

The 'Better with Wine' Project is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha and the Regional Federation of Wine, Alcohol and Grape Juice Producers (FEVIN) to promote consumption of Castellano-Manchego wines within the territory itself. With the philosophy that "wine is one of the provinces main assets", and the will to promote it by training the future consumers, they will also be participating in the trade fair with the "Initiation to Wine Tasting for Students of Food Technology", which will take place on the 7th.

Castellano-Manchego Wines Abroad

On May 5th and 6th tasting sessions organized by the Institute for Foreign Promotion of Castilla-La Mancha will be taking place, with said region being referred to as the greatest producer region in the world, and with the sessions also covering adaptation to global tendencies, the new and surprising white wines of Castilla-La Mancha and why this region should compete on the global market with its red wines. The IPEX participates in FENAVIN because it is convinced that this is the most important monographic trade fair on wine in Spain and the trade fair with the greatest repercussion on an international level, thus it considers that the institution's involvement as a responsible entity to promote the image of Castellano-Manchego companies from the sector is absolutely necessary given the high number of foreign importers that will be present at the event.

In that pertaining to the commented tasting sessions, which will last an hour and a half and will be held in English, these will be mainly aimed at importers and journalists, so that they can obtain as much knowledge as possible about our wines, with the ultimate objective residing in the promotion of the image of our wines and their dissemination at an international level. Thus the reason why the sessions will be similar in nature to a lecture, not being limited to mere wine tasting, but also focused on creating an image of wine that is associated to our Region.

In as far as foreign commercialization of Castellano-Manchego wines is concerned, the IPEX considers that companies of Castilla-La Mancha's wine sector are quite clear and have assumed that the future of their business resides in foreign markets, and this is precisely where they have been aiming their expectations and efforts in the last few years. Despite this, they explain, the producers in this region still have a long path before them in the international commercialization of their wines, in particular due to the complexity that these markets quite often present. From the IPEX and thanks to other institutions such as the CMO, they assure that they are gradually insuring that these producers will make a greater niche for themselves on the international market.

"Alicante in La Mancha"

On May 5th another tasting session will also take place, this one promoted by the Regulation Council of the Denomination of Origin Wines from Alicante, during which they will present the wines that this year have received various awards and obtained high scores. A selection of the most representative of these Mediterranean wines will be present at FENAVIN, which has its distinguishing marks in its Monastrel reds and the white wines elaborated with Muscatel, apart from its internationally renown Fondillón. The Secretary of the Denomination of Origin, Eladio Martín, explains that their starting point is the approach "Alicante in La Mancha", as this is the first time they will be visiting the trade fair, at which they will be exhibiting the wines in this denomination that have lately stood out as the most promising, both due to the climate, as well as the varieties, with particular emphasis being placed on their great potential.

"The Best Wine is the Wine I Like the Most"

On the next day the Caja Rural de Ciudad Real will organize a tasting session with the slogan "The Best Wine is the Wine I Like the Most", with an original view of this activity. For the organizers of the same the idea is to compare the opinion of the expert tasters and of the general public, therefore, a blind tasting session has been organized with a selection of wines that will be available at this banking institution's stand, in which a team of experts will decide which is their favorite wine, while in parallel fashion those attending, both guests and general public, will also decide on their favorite. Once the session reaches its conclusion those wines that have been selected by the expert tasters will receive a prize, while those chosen by the voluntary tasters will also receive another prize. The goal is to compare the opinions of each group so as to offer the winemakers a broader view of where the taste of the public in general is headed. With the aim of motivating this latter group to participate, the Caja Rural de Ciudad Real will be holding a prize draw for a trip amongst those participating in the session.

Grandes Pagos of Spain

The Association Grandes Pagos of Spain has also chosen the tasting session as the formula to make the concept of Pago wines known to all, which as defined by its spokeswoman, Beatriz Hernández, are those wines cultivated in a special terrain, with a singular climate and characteristics, elaborated with its own grapes from a single vineyard, in which sustainable practices are applied. Hernández underlines the quality in the elaboration process, as well as in the results, as the main and common characteristic of all the wines, given that these are "very high range wines, which represent the best of their terroir within each area". 20 wines will be presented, one per each winery that is integrated in the association, and these will be the wines to be tasted during the commented session.