Here we are at the end of March already! Around this time each year Valencia holds its Wine and Gastronomic Products Fair, ( the XXVI Mostra de Vinos, Cavas y Licors and XXIV Mostra d´Aliments Tradicionals) held in the dry river bed, formerly the course of the River Turia.
There has always been a wine competion to choose the best wines from the Bodegas who are associates of PROAVA, the organisers of the Fair. This year was no different except in its organisation.
PROAVA is the organisation charged with promoting quality agricultural and food products from the Valencian Community. From its headquarters in Barrio Carmen, the historic centre of Valencia it has links with the wine DO´s ( Alicante, Utiel-Requena, Valencia, DO Cava and IGP Castellon) as well as the DO´s of other products covering DO Valencia Olive Oil, DO Arroz de Valencia etc, etc. This is the major fair organised by the agency each year but they also participate in smaller fairs within the community, promote the products at home and also hold a Xmas fair to promote the sweet wines and turrons for which Valencia is famous and a fair to promote the excellent cavas from Requena.
The headquarters is built above a medieval wine cellar and grain store which helpfully you can sit above and admire through the glass floor if you attend one of the regular free tastings held in the building. Until recently the organisation was presided over by Eduardo Maestres, but this year has seen the succession by Felix Cuartero, a calm, intelligent and deep thinking man with a passion for the quality of Valencias produce and who firmly believes a more professional approach is necessary to get the message out. This coming at a time when more and more tourists coming to Valencia do so specifically for the gastronomy….and we are not just talking authentic Valencian Paella here!
Felix was professor at the Requena Wine School which has turned out several top wine-makers in its history. He has therefore an analytical approach to tasting wine, although I have heard him say more than once that wine is to be enjoyed and not over critically assessed. Nonetheless he has initiated one major change this year to the organisation of the annual wine competition.
Formerly called the Els Bodeguers tasting, taking its name from the independent wine shops in the Valencia area, this year the tasting has been taken back `in-house´ by PROAVA. There had been some criticism recorded that the prizes were being handed out on a rota basis although I have no view on or evidence of this.
This year a tasting panel of professionals was assembled, a group of fifteen people from different walks in the wine world. It was to include representatives from Els Bodeguers, three of the DO´s, wine makers from the community, wine and food writers from the Valencian press and the National weekly wine press and a representative of the consumers with a special knowledge of wine from the community.
The tasting took part in two phases commencing on 14 March in the PROAVA HQ where some 140 wines submitted by the 40 bodegas affiliated to the body were to be tasted and the majority eliminated from the competition. The second part on 21 March was to select the best wines in each category which would lead to the award of medals. The results were announced yesterday, 27 March.
Each wine was tasted blind in both parts of the competition, the tasters recording a mark for each in 7 categories. Wines had to score 44 marks or less to proceed ( the best marks being the lowest scores) and the tasting was held in silence and in secret.
The marks were then entered into a spread sheet and analysed by PROAVA staff to identify firstly those proceeding and ultimately those being awarded the medals.
So competition over these are officially the best wines from Valencia as identified in the Concurso Cata de Vinos PROAVA 2014 and all of them can be tasted in the Fair which takes place between the 2nd and 6th of April. Don´t miss your opportunity, there are some very good wines to be tasted and bought!
Medal Winners, PROAVA Wine Competition 2014.
Young Whites, Gold….Marina Alta, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante.
Silver..A2, Bodegas Antonio Arraez, DO Valencia.
Bronze..Vegamar Blanco, Bodegas Vegamar, DO Valencia.
Special Mention..Marsilea Verdejo, Enologico Oleana, DO Utiel Requena.
Whites with Barrel Ageing.
Gold….Laudum Chardonnay, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante.
Silver…Blanc D´Enguera, Bodega Enguera, DO Valencia.
Bronze..Cullerot, Celler del Roure, DO Valencia
Special Mention, ..PX , COOP Moixent, DO Valencia.
Rosados, Gold…….Vall de Xaló Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante.
…….Al Vent , Bodegas Coviñas, DO Utiel-Requena
Silver….Suenos del Mediteraneo, Bodegas Utielanas, DO Utiel-Requena.
Bronze…Viña Enterizo, Bodegas Coviñas, DO Utiel-Requena
Special Mention…Rosa Rosae, Casa de las Vides, DO Valencia.
Young Red Gold….ABC, Casa de las Vides, DO Valencia.
Silver…Ontinium Tempranillo, DO Valencia.
Bronze…Calabuig, Bodegas Arraez, DO Valencia.
Special Mention..Parreño, Latorre Agrovinicola, DO Utiel-Requena
Barrel Aged Reds Gold…..Icono Syrah, Bodegas La Viña, DO Valencia.
Silver…Biologia, Los Frailes, DO Valencia
Bronze…Casa L´Angel, Bodegas La Viña, DO Valencia.
Special Mention…Soplo, Rafael Cambra, DO Valencia.
Crianzas Gold……no award
Silver…Aurum de Zagramonte, Bodega Torrevellisca, DO Valencia.
Bronze…Laudum Crianza, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante
Special Mentions, Vegamar Crianza, Bodegas Vegamar, DO Valencia
Castell D´Aixa, Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante
Tapias , Bodega El Villar, DO Valencia.
Reserve Reds Gold….No award,
Silver…Enterizo Reserva, Bodegas Coviñas, DO Utiel-Requena.
Bronze…Laudum Reserva, Bodega BOCOPA, DO Alicante.
Naturally Sweet Wines Gold…..Fondillon Alone, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante.
Silver…Verdil de Gel, Bodegas Enguera, DO Valencia
Bronze….El Novio Perfecto, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino, DO Valencia.
Special Mention….Punt Dolç, Heretats de Taverners, DO Valencia.
Licor Moscatel Gold….Riu Rau, Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante.
Silver…..Marques de Caro, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino, DO Valencia.
……..Vittore, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino, DO Valencia.
Bronze….Sol de Reymos, Bodegas Reymos, DO Valencia.
Special Mention….Dona Dolça. Baronia de Turis, DO Valencia.
Licor Other Varieties Gold….Vall de Xaló. Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante.
Vermouth Gold…..Cuatro Xavos, Bodegas Alejandro Sanz,
Silver….Vall de Gorgos, Bodegas Xaló
Bronze…Daniel Belda Vermouth, Bodegas daniel Belda.
Special Mention….Vittoré, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino.
Some 38 Bodegas are taking part in this years fair and the four DO´s will be represented, together with thirty three other exhibitors covering cheeses, sausages and other meat products, real beers, chocolate, bread and patisserie and other specialists.