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The red ‘Agala/Altitude 1175’, The white ‘manor of Cabrera’ and the ‘Eidan Dulce’, Gold Medals of the Gran Canaria Island Wine Competition
The young red ‘Agala/Altitud 1175’ from Tejeda, The white ‘six -month -old lordship’ in barrels made in Telde, and the 'Eidan Dulce' from Santa Brígida have obtained the gold medals at the XXIX Gran Canaria Island Wine Competition organized by the Cabildo, which also awarded the special prize for best image and presentation to the red wine 'Hoya Los Cardos', from San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The contest thus reflects the quality and also the variety of the island's wine production and landscape..
The silver and bronze medals in the Young Red categories went to 'Las Cuevas' of San Mateo; and ‘End/Altitude 1050’. In the section of Dry Whites and Barrel Fermented Whites, The silver and bronze distinctions corresponded to 'Eidan' and 'Rincón del Guiniguada'. Third, in the section dedicated to Semi-dry, Semidulce, Sweet and Licorous, the silver medal goes to 'Las Tirajanas Malvasía Volcánica' and the bronze medal goes to 'Las Tirajanas Dulce'.
This was revealed today at the official opening of the contest envelopes held this morning in the Patio del Cabildo by the president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, who was accompanied by the Primary Sector counselor, Food sovereignty and water security, Miguel Hidalgo; the president of the Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin Wines of Gran Canaria, Pedro Suarez; the insular director of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing; Alejandro Baez; and the Cabildo's winemaker, Rosa Hernandez.
“The winners embody the maximum expression of the increase in the average quality of Gran Canaria wines in recent years.. Besides, His example will serve as inspiration to maintain this course that is taking us so far.. Hoy, definitely, we toast once again to evolution, the success and growing recognition of the entire sector on our island”, Morales pointed out.
The competition's tastings took place on the days 18 y 19 June in Infecar within the framework of the only contest on the island officially recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and food. During those two afternoons the judging panel tasted 'blindly' a total of 42 wines from the 17 wineries that participated in this edition, distributed into three categories: young reds; young or barrel-fermented dry whites; and semi-dry, semidulces, sweet and liqueur.
The samples were evaluated using the blind tasting system by a jury made up of 14 professionals, following the international standards of the International Vine and Wine Office. The total amount of the ten prizes is 6.400 euros and the winners will be present at the events that the Cabildo celebrates.
The island president stressed that “this action complements others aimed at promoting island viticulture and that is allowing the annual increase in the area dedicated to this crop.. In fact, The progressive increase in the quality of the island's wines goes hand in hand with the increase in hectares on the island that are allocated to grape cultivation.. Hoy, Gran Canaria is the only island in the archipelago that increases the number of hectares allocated to vineyards: nails 21 in the last 4 years".
The Island Viticulture Development Program developed by the Ministry of Primary Sector, Food Sovereignty and Water Security of the Cabildo is based on collaboration with the Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin, the Island Federation of Associations of the Viticultural Sector of Gran Canaria-Vinigran and the entire sector.
In this context, the annual Wine Competition, The Cabildo meets several of the objectives of its strategic plan for the primary sector, among them the valorization of the product, supporting the activity and contributing to the advancement of its quality. “Y es en ese camino que estamos recorriendo juntos y juntas donde aparecen estos vinos excelentes que hablan de paisaje; de tradición e innovación; de pasado y, above all, de futuro”, enfatizó Morales.
“Esta gran obra colectiva ha sido determinante para la consolidación de este subsector agrícola que genera empleo, fija la población al territorio y además es cortafuegos en los incendios forestales. El regadío para saciar la sed de los viñedos es un eje fundamental del apoyo del Cabildo y más de la mitad de las infraestructuras hidráulicas ejecutadas desde 2018 han sido para zonas vitícolas. At the moment, he 80% de la viña de Gran Canaria tiene sistemas de riego”, informó el presidente.
Otros hitos destacables que están fortaleciendo al sector son la formación especializada contemplada en el Programa formativo de la Consejería de Sector Primario, o el apoyo a la creación del primer Curso oficial de Técnico Grado Superior Vitivinicultura, en colaboración con CEIP de San Mateo, where 20 alumnos durante dos años aprenderán todo lo necesario para poder incorporase al sector con la cualificación necesaria.
Also, junto a la asociación Vinigran, se han instalado 10 estaciones agrometeorológicas para obtener la información de las variables climáticas y su influencia en la viticultura insular, útiles en los avisos de riesgo de oidio.
Y gracias al trabajo del personal de la Granja Agrícola Experimental, el Cabildo ha conseguido la autorización para poner en marcha el primer vivero multiplicador del archipiélago para cultivar y donar al campo plantones de vid de variedades certificadas y libres de virus, un paso fundamental para el crecimiento del sector, la renovación y expansión de cultivos y la creación de un banco de germoplasma.
