There were no Lanzarote wines at this year’s international wine fair, Vinoble, as there were insufficient supplies left from last year’s production
This year’s International Noble Wines Fair, Vinoble, (featuring fortified, liqueur and sweet wines) was held at the Alcázar de Jerez fortress from 29th to 31st May. Normally a regular in previous years, there were no wines representing Lanzarote this year. However, the Canaries did have a presence showing wines from La Palma, Tenerife and El Hierro, all participating under the umbrella of the Canarian Government’s ICCA Institute.
El Grifo and Los Bermejos are the wineries that produce the largest quantities of these wines within the DO Lanzarote, so they’re the ones that usually participate in Vinoble. President of Lanzarote’s Regulating Council, VÃctor DÃaz, pointed out, ‘What the bodegas are concentrating on this year is obtaining grapes, as they’re in very short supply. Most of them have no wine left from last year and won’t be able to make new wine until October. Given these circumstances, they have had to rule out attending events like Vinoble as they wouldn’t be able to meet demand.’ DÃaz also added, ‘there is considerable demand for liqueur wines which bodes well for the future of Lanzarote’s excellent quality sweet wines.’
According to José Luis González, in charge of the ICCA stand at Vinoble, ‘Lanzarote wines usually have a strong presence here because the island produces the greatest quantity of fortified wines. I think it’s important to be present, even if it’s just symbolic. If not, it’s a case of out of sight, out of mind.’
‘Many of the wineries present, González added, ‘are small-scale growers who produce no more than four hundred bottles of their fortified wines. With the exception of Lanzarote and La Palma, in the rest of the Canary Islands production of noble wines is minimal.’ TeneguÃa and Llanos Negros (La Palma); Cumbres de Abona and Bodegas Reverón (Tenerife); and the Herreños Viña Frontera, Uwe Urbach, HM Las Vetas and El Mirador de Agra.
The ICCA has always championed the presence of Canary Island wineries at this fair, considered one of the most important international events of its kind. Generally, the greatest emphasis is on wines from the Jerez-Xerez-Sherry DO, whose entire production is classified as noble wines. The second most important DO is Montilla-Moriles, from Córdoba. Visitors were also able to taste wines from Portugal, France and the United States (California).
