'Teixar' 2010 and cava d'Enoteca Gramona Best Catalan wines in 2014

Barcelona (ACN).- The 2014 Catalonia Wine Guide has given top marks to the 'Teixar' 2010 (Domènech vineyard-D.O Montsant, Southern Catalonia) and to the cava Brut Gran Reserva 2000 (Enoteca Gramona La Plana, Greater Barcelona), with a 9.77 out of 10 for each of them . These two wines are the very best in Catalonia, according to this year’s guide, which was released along with a new application for smart phones, ‘Guide App'. The guide now offers a variety of information and different concepts presented via the latest technology of Augmented Reality. With these innovative changes, the guide is looking to introduce Catalan wines to a wider audience, by appealing to young people. Moreover, the guide has created the 'Vins Catalans' (Catalan wines), platform an “umbrella brand” supporting activities and initiatives in favour of wine dissemination.

The Catalonia Wine Guide consists in blind tasting over 1,500 wines, grading them, and providing an analysis of the best wines of the region. Every year, new innovative vineyards are discovered and enter the Catalan wine landscape, thanks to their research and to their use of different varieties.

In addition to the ratings, which have been agreed upon by a jury of four professional wine tasters, the publication also distinguishes the best white wine, the best rosé, the best sweet wine and awards the Territori (territory), Futur (future) and Trajectòria (career) prizes.

The best white wine of the year was awarded to the ' Dido ' Venus La Universal (Macabeu Garnatxa Blanca, 2012, Southern Catalonia) while 'Vinya del Metge' (Vine of the Doctor), of D.O Empordà (Cellers d'En Guilla, 2012, Nothern Catalonia) was deemed the Best Rosé The best sweet wine was awarded to Mas Llunes Empordà Solera (D.O Empordà) .

'Les Tallades de Cal Nicolau (Picapoll negre, 2011 d'Orto Vins, D.O Montsant, Southern Catalonia) were presented this year’s Territori prize. Arnau Oller (and the special edition of the Picapoll negre, 2011, d'Orto Vins, D.O Montsant) was awarded the Futur Prize. The Premi Trajectòria distinguished Martí and Joan Fabra, who both run the Celler Martí Fabra (D.O Empordà,), for their successful career.

A new application with Augmented Reality

This year, the Guide presented the first ever application for smart phones on Catalan wines, which is called ' App Guide’. This application, which resulted from the collaboration between six Catalan companies, includes filtered search by theme (old varieties, wine making processes, marriage, etc.) It also features one of the latest available high technologies: augmented reality. This option enables users to directly scan any wine label without having to take a photograph, and to get access to the vineyard’s profile (registered in the database). The application will be available for any mobile operating system and will be free for the first 10 queries. For unlimited use, the price will be 0'99 cents.

The Co-Director of The Guide, Sílvia Naranjo, insisted the guide was aimed at making Catalan wine appealing to a comprehensive audience. She explained that they had decided to create the application for two reasons. On the one hand, since it is “difficult” to make the wine-culture appealing to young people, and on the other hand, because of the advance of technology. Therefore, “from now on”, the guide will include this application.

Naranjo referred to the evolution of the wine guide, now in its sixth edition. She explained that the Company responsible for its publication (linked with the restaurant world) had given the impulse, after seeing that people “did not know enough” about Catalan wine. And so they decided to offer a more complete guide to their users, by delving into all the wines produced in Catalonia and describing their specific qualities.  

The ‘Vins Catalans’ Platform to promote Catalan wines even further

Another new feature of this year’s edition is the creation of the 'Vins Catalans' ' (Catalan wines) platform, which follows through the original purpose of the guide, by supporting and promoting “activities, initiatives, proposals and new ideas to encourage the dissemination and promotion of Catalan wines”.

Future projects include, in addition to the guide, the 'Vi juny' festival organized by wine merchants linked with the publication, the 'Vi tour' (Wine tour in Catalonia) and a communication campaign: “because drinking Catalan Wine is wonderful”. Such a statement was voiced in a manifesto urging restaurants to offer a wider range of Catalan wines to their clients .