2 U.S. restaurants awarded with Cartaví Internacional prize

 Barcelona (Gastroteca.cat).- The first edition of the ‘Cartaví Internacional’ prize began this year with the aim of promoting Catalan wine in U.S. restaurants. The prize winners included the ‘B44’ restaurant of San Francisco and the ‘Casa Mono’ restaurant of New York. The Catalan Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise, Josep Huguet, handed out the prizes earlier today.

The ‘Cartaví Internacional’ prize is organised by the Catalan Wine Association with the support of the Catalan Ministry of Innovation, Universities and Enterprise. The first edition is dedicated to promoting the presence of Catalan wine in U.S. restaurants. After a study of the wine menus in several U.S. establishments, the jury decided on the ‘B44’ restaurant of San Francisco and the ‘Casa Mono’ restaurant of New York for the prize. In both cases, Catalan wine represented over 23% of their wine menus.

The study determined that in the winning establishments one could taste from 3 to 4 Catalan wines, 71% of them being red wine varieties. In addition to the winning restaurants, other restaurants have also been recognised such as the ‘Boqueria’ restaurant of New York. The finalists were ‘El Bazaar’ and ‘La Paella’ of Los Angeles, ‘El Mesón’ of Houston, ‘Mercat a la Planxa’ of Chicago, ‘Neptune Oyster’ of Boston and ‘Xixón Café’ of Miami.

The Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise, Josep Huguet, gave the prizes out today, which include a tourist visit to the famous Catalan wine zones of Penedès, l'Empordà, Priorat and Conca de Barberà. 13 businesses collaborated in the prize that consists of a tour through various wine cellars, factory visits, wine-tasting sessions guided by an oenologist and a meal.