How to classify wines, how to preserve them, how to create a wine list, how to serve them or the reasons to drink and buy Catalan wines are some of the practical chapters of"At the table! Catalan wines Manual for restoration”, an informative publication resulting from the collaboration of theInstitut Català de la Vinya and the Vand, theCatalan Winery Association and the Kitchen magazine which has the sponsorship, among others, of the Catalan Institute of Cork Foundation.

This work is aimed at restaurant professionals so that it will be useful to them and that it will serve to get closer and get to know even better the wines that are made in Catalonia. Also so that it becomes an effective tool, with advice and recommendations to be able to offer a better service to its customers and also contribute to spreading the word about the wines that are made in our country.

The paper version of the Manual has been sent to two thousand Catalan restaurants and also to the restaurant associations of Catalonia. It can also be consulted online at the website of kitchen.

A letter of corks

The publication includes a chart of corks that is intended to be a guide so that restaurant professionals are well aware of the types of corks that exist and what their characteristics are.

Natural cap: It is a one-piece cork cylinder. Its internal structure stores the oxygen that allows the wine to mature and evolve inside the bottle. It is the ideal stopper for wines, especially for wines that have been stored for a long time.

Stopper for sparkling wines: It is a natural cork stopper formed by an agglomerated cork body and natural cork discs at the end in contact with the wine. It has been proven that cork discs contribute to the supply of oxygen to Caves, Sparkling Wines and Champagnes, facilitating their correct evolution. Its larger diameter and composition allow it to withstand the high pressures inside the bottle, and when uncorked it naturally takes the typical shape of a mushroom.

Clogged cap: It is a natural cork stopper whose pores are filled with cork powder, improving its visual appearance. It is a cheaper cork than a natural cork and is designed for fast-rotating wines, which should not spend more than a year in the bottle.

Plug 1+1. It consists of an agglomerated cork body with natural cork discs attached to the ends. It is called a 1+1 plug for these two disks. It is commonly used for white wines and is ideal for wines consumed within 2 or 3 years.

Agglomerated cap. It is a cap formed by granulated cork joined with agglomerates suitable for food use. They are usually used for fast turnover wines.

Cap with capsule. It is a cork stopper that has a crown or capsule incorporated at its upper end that can be made of wood, metal or other materials. It is used in the case of drinks that are not consumed in one go, such as sweet wines, whiskey, brandy or gin.

Restaurants, a key sector for Catalan wine

This tool is part of the actions that INCAVI is carrying out to give more prominence and dissemination to Catalan wines, and this one, especially aimed at the restaurant sector, a key sector for wine in Catalonia. In fact, in Catalonia, four out of every ten bottles of wine consumed are wines with Catalan DO and only in restaurants 40% of Catalan wines are consumed, according to Nielsen 2019 data. Data that show that there is still room for grow up.

In addition, together with the Catalan Wine Association, as the organizer of Cartavi, the competition that rewards restaurants' wine lists, it has been thought very appropriate to edit this Manual in order to be able to offer a tool that can be very useful for to restaurants as the main ambassadors of the wines produced in Catalonia in order to offer added value to their service. On the other hand, when the health measures allow it, it is planned to present this tool in person together with the Cartavi.

A publication that also appears at a key moment, in the face of the uncertain times that the COVID 19 pandemic is bringing, which, despite the difficulties it is generating in most economic sectors, is highlighting values such as proximity and sustainability. The latest data show that there is a change in consumption by Catalan men and women: according to a study by the Center for Research in Economics and Agricultural Development-UPC-IRTA (CREDA), the health crisis has caused Catalan consumers to increase a 20% his preference for local and local products, an opportunity, therefore, to strengthen Catalonia's agri-food sector.