That the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Cava, which in addition to the traditional wineries of Penedès –90% of production is made in Catalonia– integrates others from territories such as Aragon, Navarre, La Rioja, the Basque Country, the Valencian Community and Extremadura, was not a very comfortable arrangement for some producers was already known. The product's visibility is not very uniform, probably due to the disparity of origins, and the state-level regulations governing the designation do not satisfy some producers.

Cava sales declined last year for the second consecutive year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Cava Designation of Origin Regulatory Board. The total number of bottles sold fell by 12.88% year-on-year to 190 million. Revenue reached €2.048 billion, 10% less than in 2014. This drop is attributed to the drought, according to Javier Pagés, president of the Cava DO. "The decline is not due to a lack of demand, but rather a lack of product," he stated. This decrease stems primarily from exports, which fell by 18.68%. In the Spanish market, the reduction was much more moderate, at 2.48% in volume. It should be noted that of the 190 million bottles sold, 60% of the Cava was destined for export. The first market was Belgium, the second the United States, and the third the United Kingdom. Of all the cava sold in Spain, 33.7% was in Catalonia. Germany, traditionally the first or second largest market, fell to fifth place.

Jaume Vial Quintana (Maçanet de Cabrenys, 1959) is a highly respected figure in the world of sparkling wine. In recent years, we've known him as the head of Bodega Mestres, famous for its long aging processes. He wore the winery's colors with such pride and dedication that many people only discovered on its centenary celebration that he wasn't the owner. "I've never claimed to be the boss. I'm a professional who had the family's trust. And I'll always be grateful for that. Every job I've taken on, I've approached as a personal challenge. I took on the Mestres challenge thinking it would be my last," he explained to ARA. But it wasn't.

Barcelona Wine Week, the Spanish wine congress held annually in Barcelona, ​​will once again grow this year in terms of exhibitors, visitors, and square footage, organizers announced Wednesday. The sector is meeting at a time of challenges due to climate change, trade tensions between the European Union and the United States, and concerns about declining wine consumption worldwide. A total of 1,351 wineries from across Spain are registered, a 5% increase compared to last year. the 2025 edition and 880 international buyers, 14% more than the previous edition. The fair, which will be held next week from February 2nd to 4th, will occupy 10,900 square meters, 800 more than last year, at the Plaça d'Espanya venue of Fira de Barcelona. With 320 wineries present, Catalonia will be the autonomous community with the largest presence at the event, followed by Castile and León, La Rioja, and Castile-La Mancha.

The cartoonist Miquel Ferreres (Barcelona, ​​1950) celebrates fifty years in the profession this year. After his time in Catalan Post, The Vanguard and The NewspaperHe arrived at ARA, where he has published a daily cartoon since 2018. His friend Toni Batllori told him one day that the job they had chosen was a "sweet deal." Ferreres assures that, if it is, it's not because of the hours, the salary, or the amount of work, but because of the luck of dedicating himself to a job he likes and that, if he were born again, he would do again.

We're now on the cusp of Christmas, one of the times of year with the highest consumption of sparkling wines. Except for Champagne, the most prestigious in the world, sparkling wines from elsewhere struggle to gain traction in countries with a strong winemaking tradition like Spain. But even here, Prosecco has emerged, one of Italy's greatest successes in the world of food and wine. Even if you've never had a glass, you might have tasted it if you've had a Spritz. This popular orange cocktail, made with Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water, is prepared according to one of its most classic recipes.

Cava could do more to boost exports, especially from smaller wineries. "They're not interested in the international market," stated María Naranjo, director of the food industry at ICEX (the Spanish State Foreign Trade Agency), during the 2nd Cava Meeting, an international gathering organized by the Cava Designation of Origin (DO) in Avinyonet del Penedès (Alt Penedès) that brought together more than 100 wineries. Although 64% of Cava production was already destined for export in 2024, Naranjo perceives a "lack of international focus" among smaller wineries. ICEX considers two wines "iconic" in Spain, Sherry and Cava, and has specific projects to increase their visibility. In the case of Cava alone, Naranjo stated that ICEX has had to cancel scheduled activities due to a "lack of business interest" from the wineries invited to participate. These events were to be held in countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, China, and the United States. Regarding the reasons, Naranjo admitted that small wineries "run out of time" trying to keep up with everything, but there are also solutions for developing an export-oriented approach, such as the one implemented in the Rías Baixas DO, where companies with international departments work for several wineries simultaneously. Only Cavas with superior aging potential—at least 18 months—participated in the Cava Meeting, and Naranjo added that, despite the existence of these wine "gems," wineries also "lack the confidence to venture abroad." The two souls of the DO

He president of the DO Cava, Javier PagésHe stated that abroad, "it's unacceptable that people say we haven't visited them," which he described as "unforgivable," and called for seizing the opportunity presented by the growing consumption of sparkling wines, which is bucking the general decline in wine sales. The meeting also highlighted the diverse perspectives within the Cava industry: while Luciano García-Carrión, owner of the group that produces Jaume Serra Cava, argued that selling more bottles is "the best scenario" for everyone in the sector, smaller wineries called for better differentiation between the various regions that make up the state-owned Cava region, as well as for longer aging processes.

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Actor and director Francesc Cuéllar (1993, Barcelona) views the world and his craft with a critical eye that doesn't preclude sensitivity. Known for his role as Ferni in Like it was yesterdayCuéllar spends his days going back and forth between Sitges, where he lives; Girona, where his parents live; and the Akademia Theatre in Barcelona, ​​where rehearsals are taking place forHonesty, the work he has directed and which can be seen from December 12.

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The Catalan wine sector has already begun the grape harvest campaign in some areas of the country with clearly more positive prospects than in the last three seasons. Spring rains and the fact that summer temperatures are, on average, lower than in recent years have facilitated the regeneration of the vineyards: "It will be much better than last year and two and three years ago," says Josep Marrugat, head of vineyards and wine at the agricultural union Unió de Pagesos.

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The Catalan wine sector has received with concern confirmation that its exports to the United States will receive tariffs of 15%, but celebrates that the trade agreement reached between Brussels and Washington serves to restore certainty to the market. "We would like it to be 0%, but we hope it's definitive," says Joan Huguet, president of the Penedès Designation of Origin (DO), regarding the new tax.

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The American investment fund Carlyle has hired the banks Santander and Morgan Stanley to advise it on the sale of the wine group Raventós Codorníu, of which it controls 68% of the capital, it announced this Monday. Expansion and has confirmed the ARA.

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What is your first memory linked to wine?

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The unions and the management of the Freixenet Henkell bank closed this Wednesday a preliminary agreement that reduces the number of layoffs planned in theemployment regulation file (ERE) filed by the company last month. Thus, from the initial 180 layoffs, the maximum will be 154, giving priority to early retirements and voluntary departures. The agreement was validated by the entire workforce at a meeting this Wednesday.

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The workers of the Freixenet Henkell coal mine have decided to extend the strike until June 10. the strike that began a week ago to demand the withdrawal of the employment regulation file (ERE) filed by the company, which should entail the dismissal of approximately 180 workers, 24 percent of the workforce, according to a statement issued Tuesday by the Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) union, the majority union on the group's works council.

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Representatives of the Freixenet Henkell company's workforce gathered this Thursday in front of the Catalan Parliament in Barcelona to demand "political action" in response to the redundancy plan (ERE) filed by the company's management last month, which provides for the dismissal of almost a quarter of the workforce. The president of the works council, Antonio Domínguez, has accused Freixenet of engaging in "corporate terrorism" and has stated that they are considering taking the case to court to determine whether it is legal.

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Hundreds of people, mostly employees of the Freixenet Henkell company, demonstrated this Wednesday in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia (Alt Penedès) to protest against the redundancy plan (ERE). presented by the company and which includes the dismissal of 180 workers, 24% of the workforce.

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The workforce of the multinational cava company Freixenet Henkell began a four-day strike at 10 p.m. on Monday, with 100% participation by Tuesday morning, according to Antonio Domínguez, president of the company's works council, who spoke to ARA. The workers are demonstrating outside the group's headquarters in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia (Alt Penedès) to protest the redundancy plan (ERE) filed by management to cut the workforce by 24 percent. They accuse the company of wanting to "kill cava" by focusing on the production of sparkling wines that require less labor and allow for careless production.

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The workers of the Freixenet Henkell mining company are called to strike from this Monday at ten o'clock in the evening to protest against theemployment regulation file (ERE), which should entail a 24% reduction in the workforce, according to information provided by the unions representing the group's works councils.

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A week ago, Barça won the league. As a Barça fan and a writer, how did you celebrate the victory?

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This story begins in 1312. Or at least that's the year in which the first documents attest that the Mestres family owned a vineyard in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia and traded grain and wine. More than 700 years later, and 30 generations later, they're still producing, and for 100 years they've been making one of the cavas most beloved by wine connoisseurs. Of course, getting here hasn't been easy.

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