Tag: Wine Tourism

Jerez is Spain’s #1 Wine Tourism Destination

The latest report from La Asociación Española de Ciudades del Vino (ACEVIN) reveals that Marco de Jerez is the Spanish wine destination that has received the highest number of visitors in 2022.

Wine tourism in Spain experienced a post-Covid-19 pandemic boost in 2022, with the number of tourists travelling around the ‘wine routes’ of Spain reaching 2,487,255, 51.59% higher than that of 2021 (1,640,800), though the 2022 result was still only 80% of the last pre-pandemic figure.

Last year’s tourist visits to wineries and wine museums are believed to have generated €75,481,646 for the economy, 39% above the 2021 level, but still 12% short of the 2019 level.

Around 80%, were domestic travellers, though overall proportion of international visitors has increased year-on-year, from 15.14% to 20.4%.

The five wine routes that received the highest number of visitors were as follows (in descending order):

  • Marco de Jerez: 333,781
  • Rioja Alta: 313,974
  • Ribera del Duero: 281,918
  • Penedès: 262,693
  • Rioja Alavesa: 234,101

Given Andalusia’s warm weather, interesting history, and beautiful landscapes, combined with fortified Spanish wines, it makes sense that Sherry country would certainly appeal to travellers.

As far as the routes which attracted the highest percentage of international visitors, these include: Gran Canaria: 66.5%; Alicante: 41.5%; and Penedès: 38.5%.

The most popular time to travel to these regions was October, when many producers have finished their harvests, followed by August, when the beaches of the country’s Mediterranean coast are lined with overseas visitors.

UNWTO Sets Spotlight on Tourism Investment in the Americas

UNWTO further strengthened its cooperation with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean as it brought together public and private sector leaders to advance investments in the tourism sector.

Against the backdrop of the meeting of its 68th Regional Commission for the Americas, June 30th, 2023 in Quito, Ecuador, UNWTO hosted the Seminar on Sustainable Investments to explore the main challenges and opportunities around this topic in the region, and here are some of the main points.

Tourism Investments: A defining priority

The latest data from UNWTO shows that tourism in the Americas is steadily recovering, with international arrivals reaching 86% of 2019 levels by the end of the first quarter of this year. Moreover, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the tourism sector, which had experienced a decline, is now showing signs of revitalization:

Registered projects investment projects rose by 185% between 2022 2021. These projects accounted for a total value of 192.6 billion USD, reflecting rising investor confidence in the region’s potential.

Additionally, in 2021, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) surged to US$134 billion, a 56% year-on-year increase, reclaiming a substantial portion of the ground lost in 2020.  …continues at … https://www.unwto.org/news/unwto-puts-spotlight-on-tourism-investment-in-the-americas

 

New Report: Findings reveal that 70% of Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux is “favorable’ to “extremely favorable’” for red wine production

Experts from the Bordeaux Science Agro have just revealed a report which includes mapping of the terroir’s potential. The main objective of this eighteen-month study is to evaluate the viticultural potential of the terroir of the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux appellation for red wines.

Other objectives of the study include:

  1. to preserve the great viticultural terroirs;
  2. improve winegrower’s knowledge of their terroirs;
  3. identify the soil and climate characteristics of the AOC;
  4. highlight the specific characteristics of the intercommunal area; and to
  5. improve viticultural practices in relation to the soil, and lastly, ensure the ecological transition of properties and enhance the landscape.

The aim of the study was to also analyze and map out the AOC, which is spread over 39 communes and covers 27,000 hectares, including an AOC area of 13,200 hectares.

This study was broken down into three phases, as follows:

  1. Construction of the model, modelization: Initial mapping showed that over 60% of the AOC area is in favorable or even extremely favorable zones;
  2. Validation of the model: consideration of geographical and non-geographical results following interviews with winegrowers. Non-geographical results: soil, exposure, topographical position, slope; and to
  3. Improvement of the model by experts.

Here are the findings:

Five zones were established from ‘not very favorable’ to ‘extremely favorable’, with

the less favorable areas being the zones of humid alluvial plains (locally known as ‘palus’), and deep valley bottoms. Moderately favorable areas are the plateaux of redoxic silty luvisols (hydromorphic silty ‘boulbènes’) and the areas of calcareous colluviosols at the palus/slopes interface. The most favorable areas are the slopes on ‘Agenais’ molassic formations, which are predominantly to the north. The east/west facing slopes on Agenais molasses are very favorable areas, as are the areas bordering plateaux, and hilltops too. And finally, the slopes on the predominantly southern Agenais molasses, as well as convex plateaux and gravelly outcrops bordering plateaux (known as ‘peyrosols’) are extremely favorable zones in our region.

In conclusion, the findings report that 70% of the region is “favorable” to “extremely favorable” zones for red production.  To take this even deeper, here are a few facts you need to know:

Gravelly soils are the hallmark of the appellation. These deep soils provide a significant water reserve, and their depth is an important asset when it comes to coping with climate change.

The most important thing to bear in mind about the terroir is its clay soil. Soils on molassic formations are good for making wines that can be kept for a long time or aging. Swelling clay soils are the best. They provide a balanced water supply that is ideal for the vines. But clay-limestone soils also have their advantages. They help to limit water supply, control nitrogen levels in the soil, and protect the vines.

Currently, it is still very difficult to map clay soils. The variability of molasses is not conducive to mapping.

“Soil management and the development of terroirs are major challenges for the sustainability of AOCs,” explains Chantal Larnaudie, President.

The ambition is also to bring new winegrowers on board (out of 14,000 hectares of AOC vineyards, only 7,000 are planted, and 1,900 are declared as Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux).

Finally, this study will also enable us to select the best terroirs to produce dry white wines, sweet wines, and rosé wines as the Cadillac, Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux, and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux PDOs are the only ones in the Bordeaux region to be able to claim all wine colors as PDOs, including crémants.

The ODG is also considering widening its specifications to include new colors now that scientific data are available.

Sustainable Wine Tourism

Easy to reach, the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux region meets the criteria of sustainable tourism. Follow the dedicated cycle track from Bordeaux and stop off at the estates or take the train to Cérons from Gare Saint Jean in Bordeaux and you’re here in 20 minutes with an electric bike. Another possibility is by boat!

Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux

Key figures

The AOCs:

AOC red wines (97% of volumes): Cadillac – Côtes de Bordeaux: 57,400 hl – 1,628 ha – 158 producers – 35 hl/ha – AOC white wines (3% of volumes): Cadillac: 785 hl – 45 ha – 31 producers – 14hl/ha and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux: 1,200 Hl – 48 ha – 26 producers – 24 hl/ha

* Preserving biodiversity: 90% of winegrowers have certification. 100% local products from independent winegrowers

* History: A true pioneering spirit

* Winegrowers to discover: Authenticity, with a large number of family estates (82%) handed down from father to son… or father to daughter!

* Les Grandes Côtes: A large wine-growing area with, from bottom to top, 3 geological formations perfectly well drained by the tributaries of the Garonne:

Shallow, brown soils on starfish limestone and clay, stony brown soils (clay / gravel high terraces), leached soils on plateaux (‘Boulbènes’)

* The Garonne effect: The river contributes to the uniqueness of Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux wines thanks to the temperate local climate

* Modern wines: Perfect balance between the 4 Bordeaux grape varieties, Merlot (55%) Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Cabernet Franc (15%) and Petit Verdot (5%).

French company Zephalto is offering luxury wine tasting in space

French company Zephalto is offering passengers the chance to travel to the stratosphere in a balloon, starting at €120,000 /$132,000 per person in 2025.

Beyond organizing a panoramic viewing experience, Zephalto is also bringing in French luxury and the ‘art de vivre’ with a pre-flight gourmet meal prepared by famous French chefs, followed by a unique wine-tasting experience.

The wine tasting will take place in the Celeste, a metallic-like “spaceship” made from composite fibres to ensure its lightweight and exceptional strength. Its luxurious interior is said to be designed by Parisian interior designer Joseph Dirand.

Zephalto plans to launch the balloon from France on a six-hour experience that will include three hours at its highest altitude — above 98 percent of the atmosphere and twice as high as the average commercial jet. According to The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the boundary of space is at 62 miles altitude, over four times higher than Celeste’s final ascent.

The ship will sit beneath a vast helium balloon “the size of the Sacré Coeur in Paris”, which will push the ship into the stratosphere. The experience will last six hours and will hold two pilots and just six guests.

Because the Celeste will not reach this space boundary, it will not leave the Earth’s atmosphere, meaning passengers will not experience weightlessness. This will make the experience open to anyone without specialist training.

Passengers will be presented with a pre-flight gourmet meal, which the company claims will be provided by a team of famous French chefs, and will then receive a unique guided wine tasting, featuring carefully selected French vintages.

Zephalto representative states: “From regions to grape varieties, discover France from sky and land.”

Pre-reservations for their first year of operation are open with 60 flights planned.

Reserve your seat for this unique experience: https://book.zephalto.com/

 

 

Anteprima della Vernaccia di San Gimignano, discovering a truly unique wine in Tuscany “The White Queen in a Land of Red Kings” – Filippo Magnani

A few weeks ago, experts, wine enthusiasts and the press gathered in the charming town of San Gimignano on February 16th to taste not only the new vintages of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, but also the reserve wines not yet released on the market. 41 wineries and 96 wines were presented to the Italian and international press at the De Grada Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in the historical centre of San Gimignano.

The following two weekends the wines were also presented to 200 wine trade and wine enthusiasts at the Rocca di Montestaffoli, home of the Vernaccia Wine Experience. Here we had the extraordinary opportunity to meet the “unique, noble and rebellious” White Queen Vernaccia di San Gimignano! This is the only DOCG white wine to be produced in Tuscany where illustrious reds such as Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti Classico usually take centre stage. United by a great passion for this grape and territory, the Consortium celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. It continues to support those who are the custodians and greatest interpreters of an age-old white wine tradition.

During this year’s event, Master of Wine Gabriele Gorelli conducted a Masterclass called “Timeless Vernaccia” with a vertical tasting of vintages going back as far as 1997, which was a wonderful chance to experience the results achieved with this grape over time and appreciate the longevity of the wines. The President of the Consortium described the latest vintage as a record year due to the continuing drought and high temperatures: “These did not, however, prevent Vernaccia di San Gimignano from reacting masterfully, once again, to the year’s climatic challenges, proving that this ancient, native grape variety has evolved in perfect harmony with its terroir.”

The Ancient Hills

As the cradle of white wine production in Tuscany, San Gimigano’s territory is situated completely on hills with variable exposures and altitudes of between 200 and 400m above sea level. Its ancient soils have high concentrations of fossils, shells, calcareous sediments, and clay. This composition is ideal for producing vigorous and mineral-driven white wines, and the unique combinations of all these factors, even in such a small area, make the wines produced in this denomination extremely fascinating and complex. Vernaccia is an ancient grape that, although grown throughout Italy, thrives particularly well here in San Gimignano which has become its spiritual home.  Vernaccia di San Gimignano was the first Italian wine to be granted DOC status in 1966. It was elevated to DOCG status in 1993, confirming its role as the leading white wine in Tuscany.

San Gigmignano, An Alluring Wine Destination

Almost half of San Gimignano is dedicated to farm production (vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards and grains). It is a place where man and nature have lived together for centuries in a mutual relationship of respect. Tucked away in the Tuscan countryside, San Gimignano warmly welcomes wine enthusiasts from all over the world. It is located almost halfway between Florence and Siena (about 60 and 45 km) and is easily reachable by car or by bus. Historically the town was a place loved by important nobles and political figures of the past who left a trace of their passage, enriching this unique place with culture and art. It is known as the “Town of Towers” because in the first centuries after 1000 AD it was embellished with seventy towers and numerous palaces, built by the many wealthy families to display their wealth and power. Today 14 towers remain to create an unmistakable silhouette overlooking the surrounding Tuscan hills.