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The harvest has begun in Catalonia with excellent prospects for growers. In wineries Montsant Designation of Origin, in the Priorat, for example, is expected to add "excellent", with nine million kilos of grapes. Is 15% more than in the previous year, largely due to the weather this summer, where temperatures have alternated. However, Farmers Union denounces the low prices growers receive this year. According to the union, the prices will be similar to 2010. In the picture, vintage home in Castellví Brand (Alt Penedès).

China, the great banker in the world, wants to invest and, above all, profitable in its favor French wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy. The giant before communist political regime of tight but open capitalist profile, has become in recent years a large consumer of wine (the eighth in the world). The wealthier classes have discovered the refinement of French wines.

The power demand, a potential paísde 1,300 million consumers and a growing breed of millionaires, is sufficient guarantee to launch such an ambitious project. In late September ready Dinghong investment fund Fund, which aims to reach one trillion yuan (108,000 million) and hopes to achieve a return of 15%.

It is the penultimate achievement of the Chinese giant, which this year has surpassed Japan and has become the second largest economy after the United States, and is also a symptom of the transformations that the country is experiencing, so far almost exclusively devoted to manufacture and bulk export of products thanks to its cheap labor.

The Chinese project, which certainly offers a great opportunity for investors, reports some negative effects depending on your point of view being valued. For example: the rising prices of French wines. The country's ability to increase exponentially rising demand such guarantees, hence the high expected returns. It also raises an important question: is there enough vineyards in France to supply both Bordeaux and Burgundy to consumers or producers will increase in volumes of mixing wines from other payments?

Finally, the question is when China stop exploiting achieved European and American brands and launch themselves. In a territory as large as the United States, is not ruled out that in a few decades China, adapting better production techniques, ended up leaving in the ditch also European vintners, as it has done with the textile industry. Incidentally, while deciding the new fund plans to manufacture millions of electric vehicles.

As in the wonderful film Berlanga, Welcome, Mr. Marshall, there's something bittersweet in the attitude of Robert Parker to Spanish wines. True, in the last major review performed by Jay Miller its specialized taster in our country have checked almost all Spanish wine regions, with many wines over 90 points, which is the highest quality barrier, although none with 100. What is surprising is that among those few! high quality wines is a modest white from those used for cooking because of its low price in Spanish supermarkets (1.49 euros), but significantly higher than in the U.S. (about $ 12). Rua is 2010, prepared by the Cooperativa Virgen de las Viñas , Valdeorras (Ourense). Parker The effect was immediate. Rua orders have emerged worldwide, depleting stocks soon. The sales expectations for the next few years have skyrocketed. This is not the only success of this winery. Your Tempest, a single-variety Godello (3.5 euros), has achieved no less than 92 points. more

• Robert Parker, the smell of a million dollars

So high score, well received in the industry so you have to promote OJ. Valdeorras, it has provoked surprise and criticism among professionals. For Mercedes Rodriguez, president of the Association of Sommeliers Gallaecia, "Mr. Parker lost his way and in this case also it got bent." And he points out, rightly, that this wine is rewarded within a group of similarly priced wines with similar elaborations. It is compared with the great wines Rua Galician or Spanish, but with others of similar price. In turn, to Luís Padin, President of the Galician Association of Tasters, he "can not believe that Parker will score well with a white defects." The controversy is served.

The first surprise is that a generic wine, the most common, made with a high percentage of foreign grape Palomino, in Galicia nearly wipe out the native varieties of quality as Godello, Treixadura even Albariño, to deserve such esteem. The wine, which incorporates other higher quality grapes as Doña Blanca and Godello, has been fermented in stainless steel, with 3 months of aging on lees before bottling. Normal. The white, why deny it, it is nice, especially if taken too cold! Although it is safe to say, as does Parker, who is "very good in the next 1-2 years." May ease Palomino grape oxidative made by then havoc on your current fresh scent. So how does a miracle has occurred on a scale that even the makers of the cooperative do not totally believe, beginning July Ricarte winemaker?

Apparently Cabestrero Aurelio, wine importer in the U.S., sent the bottle, along with other brands, the guru, who was fascinated by its aroma with notes "fragrant minerals, white fruits, and flowers spring garden". He compares nothing less than a Chablis Village, "but with a slightly different flavor profile." What certainly relieved to be demanding French winemakers. By contrast, most Spanish critics punctuate it, when they do, down. Do you continue to do from now?

The truth is that if Rua 2010 worth 90 points, exceed 200 wines as As Sortes, Vineyard Selection Godello Somoza, Gaba do Xil, Godeval Cepas Vellas, A Coroa 'lees', or the pioneer and master Guitián. The problem is that Parker tasting mainly wines sold in the U.S., home to the main clientele of your guide Wine Advocate , although its influence is global. And values ​​the value, especially in these times of crisis.

Being even-handed, and to do justice to the excellent white Galician fail Parker's attention, it should be noted that this time the U.S. has sinned prescriber, at least, of generosity. Can you afford that much of the success of certain Spanish wines in the finest markets is because Robert Parker, the American guru elevates dictating fashions and wines with scores unappealable.

'The Bible' wine

North East Maryland lawyer who gave up her career to devote himself to wine critic, has become its publication The Wine Advocate (The lawyer of wine), with 40,000 subscribers in 40 countries, in the Bible of international buyers. Their high scores represent the global launch of the wine cellar and graceful. So welcome are his judgments.

In any case, you can, and should, criticize Parker for his unique way of seeing and judging the world of wine. But we must recognize that regardless of their scores, has always stressed the role of the consumer. Each cover of Wine Advocate is written in bold: "There will never be a substitute for your own tastes, and there is no better course to personally taste the wine." Wise advice that finally puts things in place.

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In a context of deep crisis and expanding consumption of white markings, good tourism campaign has allowed the company cava Freixenet boost sales in Spain. So far this fiscal year, from May, the Catalan multinational is increasing its sales by 5.5% in volume of bottles and increasing its turnover by 3.9% after these stalled last year because of the economic hostile , explained yesterday its CEO, Pedro Ferrer. However, the main way to overcome the crisis comes on the heels of exports since May are up 18%. Freixenet president, José Luis Bonet, emphasized that internationalization is still key to the company. "Whoever navigates exports relatively well. Exit No more leaving," he said. In a press conference in Sonoma (California) as part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the company and brand Freixenet Gloria Ferrer in the U.S., which have been invited journalists, Bonet explained that the group closed the 2010-2011 fiscal year with a turnover of around EUR 500 million, up 3% from the previous year. This year, however, the improvement of the Spanish market and the strength of sales in Germany, where for the first time the brand has sold more than a million bottles a month only? Allow the company to predict more growth than last year but with "prudence."

Germany remains the main market for Freixenet, followed by Spain, France, Britain and the United States. Bonet highlighted in the "French miracle". If in 2000 the president of Freixenet was resigned to not being able to cross the line of the 30,000 bottles sold in that country last year exported more than three million. "From May until now sales have increased by 30%," he said.

Freixenet seems to have left behind the times and the boycott of cava, although the group, like the rest of the sector, not completely out of the crisis unscathed. That meant the loss of cava that consumers may no longer have to buy it again and also hurt the Penedes white wine, which, according gave wings to other wines. Therefore, the vice president of Freixenet, Enrique Hevia, urged caution in the "statements" of some Catalan politicians, as these could lead to another conflict that could give rise to other punishment to community products in the rest of Spain, which contributes 50% of the Catalan GDP.

The products also have ido Gloria Ferrer hollow opening in the United States. If you land the first year the group sold 132,000 bottles, now shipped 1.9 million, of which 1.4 million are almost half a million sparkling wines. The company has 180 hectares of land in the Carneros Valley, including Napa and Sonoma counties, where in addition to their base for the U.S. market each year receives about 75,000 tourists.

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The idle retired a few weeks ago against the Celler Cecilio assured, closed, their owners were "Holiday India" was wrong. Neither were in India, or on vacation. They went to China on a business trip. This winery Gratallops (Priorat) is one that has begun to export wine to the Asian giant. The Denominació Qualificada d'Origin Priorat, the only DOQ of Spain with La Rioja, will close this year with nearly 14,000 bottles exported to China. It's a tiny portion near the million and a half of sales in the domestic market and 245,000 in the U.S., one of the 22 countries to which it exports. But this is the first pike in Asia and a sign of good health wine appellation of origin so small in hectares not reach 2,000. Despite the crisis, the DOQ Priorat grows. Since 2007 there are more wineries. We are 92 and up although exports U.S. market itself suffered from the recession. Conclusion, the wineries are diversifying markets and landing in other countries such as Brazil and Australia. In this context, says the president of the Council of the DOQ, Toni Alcover: "China appears as a fledgling market but with a clear upward trend and consolidation." Exports to the country in 2005 tore a token figure reached 3,000 bottles in 2008 and since then have skyrocketed to 14,000 today.

Fresh from Guanzhou and Hong Kong - "cities are discovering wine" - the owner of the winery Cecilio, August Vicent, explains that participated in two fairs in the hand of a company dedicated to export. "Consumers of our wine are people with great purchasing power, the emerging new class. Different qualities Matter then provide very specific audience segments: from sports clubs and banking executives, to Michelin-starred restaurants and specialty shops," says . Celler Cecilio now only 1,500 bottles sold to China, but Vincent highlights the country's possibilities.

The 30% of production is exported to China from the Priorat DOQ Priorat is Torres, the Torres family winery, originally from Penedès, has directed The Lloar and Mireia Torres, of the fifth generation. Bodegas Torres takes some time in China, since 1997, where it hopes to finish this year with 37 stores own branded Everwines. Another 3,000 bottles of traveling to China out of the winery in Priorat, the cooperative grouping in Gratallops production of 125 small growers of this village, La Vilella Alta, La Vilella Baixa and Lloar. His manager, Joaquim Sabate, explains that sell to China in two ways: through a company that has specialized in the export of gourmet products, and directly with the dealer who contacted in the latest edition of Espai Priorat, the fair which is held every year in May in Falset. It has taken that far, but as they say in the Priorat: "Here coast molt fer vi".

Hundreds of people packed the streets of Barcelona yesterday Ribera district. The goal, enjoy the first wines of the vintage of 2011, young wines in late November and since 1994 are the stars of the Young Wine Festival, organized by Vila Viniteca. In this way is presented in fine wines society earliest country. The uniqueness of this year was the show that made two coopers street of Muga Rioja winery, known for making the wine with ancient techniques, which in the presence of a surprised audience devoted to manufacture barrels. "The conditions are not the best, for space and temperature," Jesus Azcárate apologized to a crowd gathered together at around the beginning of the street Agullers and plugged the entrance to the party. Curiosity and the recognition of the discomfort people rewarded for the limited space. Azcarate, considered the last Cubero, started in the art of craftsmanship back in 1972, inheriting his father almost lost tradition today by the use of stainless steel. The Muga winery in Haro (La Rioja), directs the workshop that produced 1500 barrels a year.

In the complicated task of building the barrels with him Gustavo Matute, 32, with over 10 in the trade. The most repeated question the two artisans was why they put the barrel around the fire. "To soften the wood, which can bulge and put the cells", responded to the curious spectators. With the wood hot enough, beaten with a hammer the metal rings that hold the structure, and just need to put the lids. As Jesus and Gustavo built the barrels at the beginning of the street, all the rest of Agullers, and several adjoining streets, people, paying 5 euros per glass, Cataba any of the more than 30 young wines from as many wineries around the country .

The wineries, responsible for providing wine from both sides of the street, had come from various parts of the Spanish geography. From Rioja Alava arrived Sáez Gonzalo Samaniego, Ostatu the winery, which is complimented by the number of young people who enjoyed the pleasure of the wine. From further away, Pontevedra, came the first wine of the new vintage of Gaudas Terras, with unfiltered sample, brought to Barcelona for the occasion. "We are not bottled until December, but the occasion calls for it," declared the manager to serve attendees, whose bottles, even untagged, surprisingly quickly emptied. And is that Barcelona is a city where the Galician wine is well received.

A dozen local places undertook give visitors tapas and dishes with which to fill the stomach. For a euro, or even free food service businesses in the area took advantage of the event to try some of their best products.