Page announces that the regional government has decided to celebrate ‘Airén Day’ on November 30th
The Interprofessional of the Valdepeñas Designation of Origin (DO) will be operational again in the autumn, after the new statutes of this association were signed on Thursday. The association was dissolved in 2021 when the producers who formed it—Asaja, COAG, UPA, and Cooperativas Agroalimentarias—left due to their disagreement with the «trade war» between the industrial sector representatives—Avival and Asevivaldepeñas.
Regional President Emiliano García-Page presided over the signing of the new statutes of the Interprofessional at the Fuensalida Palace, headquarters of the regional government, with representatives from UPA, Asaja, COAG, Cooperativas Agroalimentarias, Avival, Asevivaldepelas, Maestros del Vino, and the Mayor of Valdepeñas, Jesús Martín, in attendance.
Mayor Martín acknowledged the challenges in reaching this agreement and called for goodwill among all parties. He emphasized the importance of the Interprofessional as a platform for dialogue and market regulation to enhance the value of the product.
«The Designation of Origin is like a delicate china cup, and I urge all stakeholders not to break it again. The Interprofessional was created by the French as a forum for dialogue and regulation, to promote the product and its origins,» said Martín.
«The Designation of Origin, as a mark of quality territory, has not been harmed because it has been overseen by the authorities, as is the case with other DOs in the country,» added the Mayor, calling for the use of this dialogue platform to develop production plans, methods, and export strategies.
NOVEMBER 30TH, ‘AIRÉN DAY’
The regional president adopted a conciliatory tone to thank all parties for their work, resulting in consensus on the Interprofessional Valdepeñas Wines statutes.
«The issue is not really the conflict itself, but whether there are channels to address and organize it. This is the essence of democracy. Democracy does not mean there won’t be disagreements or conflicts; on the contrary, it provides a method to manage coexistence and find solutions,» he stated.
He also announced that, following sector feedback, the regional government has decided to establish ‘Airén Day’ on November 30th to showcase and celebrate this particular variety.
MARTÍNEZ LÍZÁN HIGHLIGHTS «ARDUOUS AND DISCREET» WORK
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Rural Development expressed gratitude for the significant effort and discreet work done by both the sector and the regional government in recent years to reactivate the Interprofessional. He emphasized the unity achieved around one of the most important wine figures in the region and one of the oldest DOs in Spain.
Martínez Lizán affirmed that the regional government, which had to assume management in 2021, has supported the nearly 1,500 viticulturists belonging to the Valdepeñas DO, ensuring its functioning.
«Our goal now is for everyone, having embarked on this journey, to continue rowing in the same direction and regain the greatness and strength that the Designation of Origin once had and will have again, being one of the first DOs conceived in Spain, the pioneer in the wine industry,» he concluded.
The Minister concluded by emphasizing the economic, social, and cultural importance of Valdepeñas in the sector, highlighting the need to fully operationalize the DO in collaboration with producers, Professional Agricultural Organizations, and the entire sector that aims to restore the DO’s recognition and significance.
THE DO IN NUMBERS
The production area of the Valdepeñas DO had 12,171 hectares registered in the 2023-2024 campaign in ten municipalities in the province of Ciudad Real, with 1,486 viticulturists. There are 14 registered wineries with 21 facilities, and in that campaign, 389,947 hectoliters were marketed, valued at 88.6 million euros.
The majority of the vineyards under this designation correspond to the Airén and Cencibel grape varieties, with authorization for other white varieties like Macabeo, Chardonnay, Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Moscatel de Grano Menudo, as well as red varieties like Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot. The DO produces white, rosé, red, and sparkling wines of various types.
The Interprofessional was dissolved in 2021 when the producers left due to disagreements with the industrial sector representatives. Due to the lack of parity between production and commercialization branches, the Interprofessional could not be validly constituted, leading the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Rural Development to assume management responsibilities of the Valdepeñas DO at that time.