10.4.15 Manzanilla Celebrations

Here is a Press Release about the Manzanilla Celebrations:

1º  D.O. MANZANILLA CELEBRATES ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH  THE LARGEST  SHOWROOM EVER IN SEVILLE

The Regulatory Council for Sherry Wines and Manzanilla has chosen Seville´s Alfonso XIII Hotel for the April 13^th event where bodegas specialising in Manzanilla will showcase this gem of a wine.

Sanlúcar de Barrameda, March 27, 2015-  The Regulatory Council for Sherry Wines and Manzanilla continues its 50th anniversary celebrations of Manzanilla´s Designation of Origin. The next commemorative event on the agenda will take place on April 13^th in Seville, a city where Manzanilla has historically had a major impact and, in the days leading up to the April Fair, is the ideal time for its consumption. The event will draw the largest number of Manzanilla producers and distributors to one of the most emblematic symbols of Seville´s vibrant tourism and social scene, the Alfonso XIII Hotel.

After the inaugural gala event in Sanlúcar de Barrameda last December 15, fifty years to the day after publication of the Designation of Origin´s regulations, the celebrations moved to Madrid Fusión and now, amidst other initiatives, Manzanilla will once again be in the spotlight, displaying its excellence, diversity and nuances in the Andalusian capital. Winemakers and bodegueros from Sanlúcar will join wine experts and industry professionals in a special edition of the traditional Spring extraction to commemorate this half-century of D.O. Manzanilla.

The campaign launched to celebrate D.O. Manzanilla´s 50^th Anniversary included a special bottling of two carefully selected varieties (one fina and one pasada). Now, with Spring in the air, Seville provides the ideal time and place for enjoying Sanlúcar´s treasured wine in all its splendour. It comes as no surprise then, that Seville is Manzanilla´s major market and the perfect showcase. It is during Seville´s April Fair and many other Andalusian Spring festivals when Manzanilla consumption hits its yearly peak.

As the Easter holidays approach, more than 12 million half bottles (the traditional format at local celebrations) are distributed throughout the region for the festivities. This was the landmark figure reached last year, representing 36% of the entire yearly production of Manzanilla. The demand for Manzanilla is particularly high during Seville´s April Fair, which will take place just days after the Manzanilla Showroom hosted by the Regulatory Council in Seville.

A unique wine

Manzanilla is truly a special wine, the product of centuries of wisdom and tradition at Sanlúcar´s bodegas and of the unique climatic conditions that are found nowhere else but in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

A combination of exceptional factors that give Manzanilla its genuine character and distinguish it from any other Jerez Region wine and needless to say, from any other wine in the world.

Its dynamic ageing process, a system known as soleras and criaderas, is unique to this winegrowing region and leads to the formation of velo de flor, one of oenology´s greatest treasures—a layer of yeast that covers the wine and interacts with it during the ageing process; a distinguishing element that makes Manzanilla what it is. This velo de flor is like no other, created by the exceptional climatic conditions of the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, lending this wine its unique nuances.

Certified by the Regulatory Council

In order to enjoy Manzanilla with the maximum assurance of quality, the Regulatory Council insists upon the importance of verifying that the bottle you are served at these festivities has the official Designation of Origin seal of guarantee. So, whether you are having a chilled glass of Manzanilla or the popular rebujito or wine spritzer, it is always recommended that you see the bottle from which you are being served, no matter what well-known brand you order: Manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barramada or Fino from Jerez or El Puerto de Santa María.

There are 60 different wineries that produce finos and manzanillas, offering a wide range of brands and varieties. Each one, however, is registered with the Regulatory Council and therefore, reflect a prolonged and genuinely unique process of elaboration, placing them amidst the most highly appreciated wines in the world.

Manzanilla, an iconic Spanish wine

Manzanilla is a world renowned wine and an ambassador of Spain to all five continents. Above all else, it is a wine that has been a favourite for centuries among Spanish consumers. Suffice it to say that, of the 9,5 million bottles of Manzanilla sold yearly, over 90% is sold for Spain´s domestic market.

Commonly associated with joyful moments of celebration, Manzanilla is truly a unique wine of extraordinary quality, a fact validated by experts and consumers around the world. Its versatility and rich nuances offer a world of possibilities for food pairing, making it hugely popular with everything from traditional tapas to the latest gourmet cuisine.

As a wine whose identity owes much to the sea, it is no surprise that its perfect companion is none other than fish and seafood, pairing perfectly with traditional seafood dishes of the much admired Mediterranean cuisine.