ORGANIC VITICULTURE IN THE COMUNIDAD OF VALENCIANA

Speaker Pedro Calabuig – Pequeñas Bodegas de Levante

La Comunidad Valenciana is one of the most visited regions in Spain due to the nice temperatures during the year. When we talk about wines from Comunidad Valenciana, however, we mean regions with a long-standing tradition in producing wines, mostly with Monastrell red grape and Moscatel as the most popular white variety in these regions.

 The wine tourism in Comunidad Valenciana has not been developed seriously in the last years, but now days there are many wineries that have adapted their wineries in order to receive visits.  They have now notice that with the wine tourism they are able to sell a lot of bottles within the winery as well as promote their know-how and way of living. 

The Comunidad Valenciana has three Denominaciones de Origen.  These three regions are Valencia, Alicante and Utiel-Requena.  

Due to the weather and the increase of the demand of organic wines, there are many wineries who have reconverted their vineyards into the organic viticulture standards.  These wineries are small family owned wineries with low production and quality wines that are convince about natural agriculture and the respect for the nature.

The organic viticulture is the natural way of doing wine and a visit to the Comunidad Valenciana will give you the possibility to get to know more about it and who are the best representatives in every wine region.

To get in touch with Pedro please do so via his web site or through the Wine Pleasures Social Network.

Wine Pleasures has released the long awaited Conference and “After Conference” programme today.

La Oferta Enoturística de Bodegas Torres

Ponentes: Anna Manchon y Joan Carreras – Bodegas Torres

Presentación del departamento de Enoturismo y Eventos de Bodegas Torres: nuestra misión dentro del contexto de la estrategia de comunicación de la empresa, áereas profesionales y objetivos. La visita a las bodegas y toda la oferta complementaria: restaurante privado, actividades para grupos, alquiler de salas para eventos, etc. Resumen estadístico.

Actualmente, Bodegas Torres cuenta con todo un departamento dedicado exclusivamente al enoturismo, entendiendo esta nueva disciplina como un valor añadido a la comunicación del vino. Bajo el nombre de “Enoturismo y Eventos” hay todo un equipo de 24 profesionales, cubriendo 6 áreas: RRPP y atención al visitante, Promoción/ Comunicación, Administración, Reservas, Tienda e Infraestructuras/transportes. La oferta enoturística de Torres es muy amplia, variada y para todo tipo de público. Desde hace algunos años, se ha ido innovando e introduciendo oferta complementaria para satisfacer las necesidades del enoturista. Con esta oferta se pretende cumplir con los objetivos que se establecen en el departamento: consolidar el crecimiento en número de visitantes, incrementar la calidad de nuestros servicios y diversificar la oferta creando nuevos productos. Las estadísticas, con cifras de hasta 120.000 visitantes anuales, nos posicionan como una de las bodegas más visitadas de España.

Puede contactar con Anna y Joan mediante la página web de Torrres o en el Wine Pleasures Red Social.

Wine Pleasures Congreso y Workshop Internacional 24 al 27 de enero 2009 en Sitges (Barcelona).

Gag the Winemaker! Let the clients do the talking?

Speaker: Anthony Swift – Wine Pleasures

The purpose of this talk is threefold. Firstly it will demonstrate the different discourse structures used in a wine tasting activity. Secondly, it will get people who lead wine tasting activities to reflect on the discourse structure they often adopt and thirdly it will help buyers of winery visits and tasting activities to make better purchase decision s for their clients.

Over the past 6 years or so I have witnessed hundreds of wine tastings at wineries and I would say that easily 80% of them adopt the IRF (Initiation, Response and Feedback) discourse structure and 18% do not even create a discourse opportunity for the customer to respond to ie a monologue. The remaining 2% are what I like to call ringmasters, not necessarily cracking a whip but certainly directing and controlling a real tasting performance. To clarify, here’s an example of the first two:

Example 1:

What colour is this wine? (Winery Initiation)

Pale yellow (Tourist Response)

Good! I agree. (Winery Feedback)

Example 2:

As you can see this wine is pale yellow (Winery Initiation)

In this talk I will practically demonstrate three discourse models using wines and wine tasting note sheets which are/can be used in the tasting room and at the end of the talk the audience can give their views on each one and decide on which should be using with customers.

Want to know more? Feel free to contact me via the Wine Pleasures Social Network hosted by the Open Wine Consortium or send ma an email to info@winepleasures.com

Thinking about attending the Conference? Just complete the enrollment form.

Want to meet the Tour Operators coming to the Workshop and them your winery visit/winetourim products? Just complete the application form.

Come back tomorrow for an new post!

CELLER MAS FORASTER: APUESTA POR EL ENOTURISMO DE UNA BODEGA FAMILIAR

Ponente: Ricard Sebastià Foraster – Celler Mas Foraster

Explicaré la experiencia de una Bodega familiar de la Conca de Barberà en el enoturismo durante los últimos 10 años y proponer nuevos retos para el futuro en una zona con mucho potencial vitivinícola, paisajistico y arquitectónico, pero todavía sin explotar.

Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Conference and Workshop: si desea participar en el congreso debería inscribirse con antelación ya que las plazas son limitadas.

Para contactar con Ricard sobre su ponencia puede hacerlo mediante su página web o uniendote a la Red Social creada por el evento.

Un ejemplo de cómo aglutinar y estructurar la oferta enoturística: Fine Wine Services.

Ponente: Claudia Sevilla – Fine Wine Services

Siendo el enoturismo un producto turisticos todavia emergente en españa, fine wine services ha conseguido aglutinar la mejor oferta enoturístcia del país bajo la marca paraguas fine wine hotels, contribuyendo a estructurar, facilitar y hacer más accesible la oferta al turista.

Una aproximación a la demanda y sus tendencias 2. La oferta de enoturismo en España 3. Las principales iniciativas enoturísticas 5. retos del enoturismo español 6. Fine Wine Services (partiendo de la situación del enoturismo a día de hoy se expondrá cómo surge Fine Wine Services y Fine Wine Hotels, así como la estrategia de comercialización para promover el consumo y la venta de enoturismo).

Puede contactar con Claudia mediante la red social que esta abierta a cualquier participante y no participante en el Congreso de Enoturismo.

Le recordamos que las plazas son limitadas para asistir y participar en el Congreso Internacional de Enoturismo. Para garantizar su plaza debería hacer la inscripcón antes del 31 de diciembre del 2008

Wine Pleasures Christmas wine selection

A break from featuring the speakers at the Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Conference and Workshop coming up on 24 – 27 January.

Wine Pleasures has been tasting some wines for Christmas from past participants in the Wine Pleasure Workshops: Buyer meets Spanish Celler and the International Organic Workshop and here are our favourtes:

Cava Brut Nature Emendis (the one we have has 20 months crianza) – a great start to a meal with family and friends. Serve between 6-8º and prepare some tapas with young goats cheese slightly acidic and very creamy (serve on pan con tomate!) you’ll find the fruity dry flavour of the wine matches perfectly.

Quaderna Via Especial 2006 DO Navarra (organic wine) – 90% Tempranillo & 10% Cabernet – 5 months in French oak – lots of fruit – ideal for a Christmas Barbecue in the garden with the sun shining down as it does here in Spain. A bargain at just 6 Euros a bottle.

Quaderna Via Reserva 2003 DO Navarra (organic wine) – 18 months in French oak and the rest in the bottle. Having game for Christmas? This is the wine to put on the table. Another bargain at just 12 Euros a bottle.

Thinking about chicken, turkey or duck then how about a Sauvignon Blanc from the little known Tayaimgut winery DO Penedès (just 4593 bottles produced in 2006) – 12 months in oak but you would never guess that – intense and fresh aromas (pineapple, green apples, coco) with a smooth mouthfeel and long finish.

And to finish? Cava Brut Nature Emendis of course.

Cheers! Wishing all readers of our blog a Merry Christmas from Catalonia!

More speakers to come!

Hope to meet you at the Wine Tourism Conference or at very least chat to you on the Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Social Network Feel free to join. Tell your friends!

P.S. Want to know who’s our log friend? Well it’s el Tió de Nadal – ask a catalan member of the Wine Pleasures Social network group who he is.

Corporate Wine Tasting Events

Ponente: Alex Duran – Loftwines Sommelier Events

El evento vinícola como herramienta de comunicación. Desde la óptica del Sommelier-Organizador, presentación orientada a corporativos, dmc’s, empresas de Incentivos, Bodegas y Sommeliers.

Se debatirán los siguientes puntos:

1. ‘Enospitalidad’ el cliente y su entorno verdaderos protagonistas.

2. El valor añadido de un evento con vinos.

3. El equilibrio entre aprendizaje y divertimento

4. Sommelier, creador de Comunicación.

5. Montajes según Objetivos de comunicación.

6. Material complementario.

7. Selecciones de vinos.

Pueden contactar con Alex haciendose miembro del grupo social: Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Conference and Workshop Social Network. Ahí nos veremos!

Haciendas de España. Our Wine Tourism Experience in Spain

Speaker: Jaime Boville – Haciendas de España

Haciendas de España. A new World to discover. Fine Wine Estates, Wine Hotels 5*, The Wine Club, Venues, Special Terroirs and Exceptional Wines from Spain. These are the focal points of Haciendas de España, the most Innovative venture built around wine ever to come out of Spain.

If you would like to chat with Jaime or his colleague Ignacio Costa about Haciendas de España you can do so by joinig the Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Social Group.

Haciendas de España will also be participating in the Wine Tourism Workshop on the 26 and 27 January. Tour Operators and Travel Agents will have the opportunity to discover wine tourism in Namibia by attending the workshop.

Bodega J.Miquel Jané: Comparta una jornada única de viticultura, enologia y cata en bodega

Ponente: Bernadette Miquel Vacarisas – Bodega J Miquel Jané

Presentacion del ponente, de la bodega, y nuestro caracter. . Objetivos marcados por la empresa para llegar a ser un buen producto enologico y diferenciado  y como lo vamos a llevar a cabo. Capacidad/flexibilidad de la bodega en atender las demandas de nuestros clientes.  Haremos una parte de la ponencia como simulando que los que nos escuchan esten presenciando nuestra visita  a la bodega,para que puedan ver con qué conocimientos saldrian de la bodega y la utilidadad que les proporcionará cuando prueben un vino.

A parte de lo dicho en la sinopsi, mostraremos con más detalle que se imparte en el curso en la bodega. Daremos ejemplos de tipologias de visitas que se han hecho en nuestra bodega y otras que aunque no se hayan hecho nosotros proponemos y buscaremos quien nos la haga. .

Para contactar con Bernadette puede hacerlo  uniendose al Wine Pleasures Congreso Internacional Grupo Social.

Bodegas J Miquel Jané como muchas más bodegas va a participar en el Workshop Enoturístico y mantener reuniones privadas con TTOO/AAVV que viajarán expresamente a Sitges para conocer las ofertas enoturísticas y a posteriori enviar grupos, FITS, incentivos etc.

Namibia and Wine Tourism?

Speaker: Michael Weder – Kristal Kellerei

Namibia has become known for its unspoilt natural beauty, its unique fauna and flora. This diversity is being enhanced by the intense passion of a few pioneers that have planted Shiraz, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet and Colombard. The Namibian wine experience promises to be awesome in that the country needs to be criss-crossed if all three wine estates are to be visited!

Namibia is not known for its wine making industry. It is hard to believe that this semi-arid and hot country can inspire people to plant vines. Yet we have such passionate pioneers and while the wine making history is only being written, the first Riesling was made in 1902! For the wine aficionado our wine tour is a challenge in that hundreds of kilometres need to be traversed to visit all three estates. Instead of a short trip within Europe, wine lovers need to have time and an appreciation that they will be part of the development of the wine industry in Namibia. The presentation will give a short introduction to Namibia before the wine estates, their position, their products and the way to get there will be described.

If you would like to chat with Michael about his winery and winemaking and tourism in Namibia you can do so by joinig the Wine Pleasures Wine Tourism Social Group.

Kristell Kellerei will also be participating in the Wine Tourism Workshop on the 26 and 27 January. Tour Operators and Travel Agents will have the opportunity to discover the wine estates and villages around Spain.