"Terra Moscatell 2022, the Mediterranean wine fair" arrives at Els Magazinos to show off local products

Els Magazinos celebrates, on April 26, «Terra Moscatell 2022, the Mediterranean wine fair». The main objective of this event is to value the products of the territory and its producers.

This Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 21:00 p.m., the Dénia gastronomic and cultural market will invite its visitors to take a walk through La Marina and Italy, as the guest country, tasting some of the most characteristic Muscat wines of the Mediterranean.

'Terra Moscatell' is an event organized by Mara Bañó, owner of the Les Freses de Jesús Pobre winery. She has worked as director of this Fair and has generated the content and cultural talks. In addition, the initiative has the support of DOP Alicante, which acts as host of the Fair, an agri-food protection figure recognized by the European Union for the uniqueness of its vineyard and its wines.

They also have the collaboration of L'Exquisit Mediterrani, the Association of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs of La Marina Alta (AEHTMA) and the hospitality supply company Hostelbe. With this appointment it is intended to publicize the origin and cultural legacy of the 'Moscatell'.

Poster Terra Moscatell 2022

What is "Terra Moscatell"?

In La Marina Alta, a small peninsula facing east, a terroir immersed in the Mediterranean, mountains and sea, sun and landscape, this region is where the Moscatel variety is happiest: we are Terra Moscatell. This is how Mara Bañó defines the origin of the name of this Fair.

Along the Marina Alta and the Mediterranean Coast, viticulture has been present since ancient times. In the archaeological site of 'L'Alt de Benimaquia' (XNUMXth century BC) (Iberian settlement located in the Natural Park the Montgó) were viticulturists for 3.000 years. A fact that is known thanks to the significant amounts of vinification residues.

The first report where the name of Moscatell appears in the Iberian Peninsula is a document by Alonso de Herrera (1645) and the first unequivocal reference to Moscatell in the Marina Alta dates back to 1.696. From this date an expansion of the Moscatell culture began in this area. The production of raisins was mainly worked, it reached great economic importance in the XNUMXth century, when exports to England, France, Canada and the United States were common.

After the phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch) plague, raisin production decreased and many vineyards were lost, being replaced by orange trees. Nowadays, the recovery of old clones and the selection of differential clones are among the objectives of the recovery of the importance of this crop in La Marina. Crop that belongs to the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Alicante, located along the coast in the north of this province. Terra Moscatell wants to restore dignity to the variety, in order to give ourselves a more habitable and beautiful landscape.

Actions that will take place at the Fair

To enjoy this experience, two types of formats have been proposed:

in the format “Wine glass experience” there will be a walk through some of the Moscatell wines of the Mediterranean. Attendees will be able to try two wines at the Wine Fair, located in the main square of Els Magazinos, and throughout the day they will also be able to try two wines in the market premises

The invited wineries are:

• Les Freses de Jesús Pobre (PDO ALICANTE)
• Bodegas Riko de Xaló (PDO ALICANTE)
• Aida and Luis de Llíber (PDO ALICANTE)
• Joan from the House of Benissa (PDO ALICANTE)
• Gata's Devinamar
• Fondarium of Ondara (PDO ALICANTE)
• Claudio de Baniarbeig Winery
• Manu Guardiola Viticulturist of Xaló
• Teulada Cooperative (PDO ALICANTE)
• Xaló Cooperative (PDO ALICANTE)
• Collado de Salinas Estate (PDO ALICANTE)
• Cent Piques de Fontanars (DO VALENCIA)
• Enovalencia with Italian wineries (Guest country Italy)

On the other hand, there will also be a “Experience Cultural Talk + Paired Tasting”. A talk to discover the culture of Muscatel wine accompanied by a wine tasting paired with a tapa at the Les Cuinetes restaurant. The program of experiential activities is as follows:

In the Plaza de Els Magazinos

11:00 a.m. OPENING ON BEHALF OF THE MUSCAT DEFENDERS ASSOCIATION, TONET PUIG & JAUME X. SOLER AND JOSÉ JUAN REUS PRESIDENT PDO ALICANTE. After listening to the defenders of Muscatel, they will toast with Vino Les Freses.

In the restaurant Les Cuinetes

11:30 MUSCAT OF THE WORLD (ITALY) with ANDREA GABRIELLI

Andrea Gabrielli (Director of Etno València), will tell the story of Moscatel in Italy and present some Italian wines. There will be a tasting of a wine paired with a tapa:

• MOSCATO D'ASTI DOCG /FABIO PERRONE (PIEDMONT)
• CRABIONI MOSCATO DI SORSO-SENNORI DOC/NURAGHE CRABIONI (SARDINIA)

(Wine pairing with pastries and sweets)

• MOSCATO GIALLO ALTO ADIGE DOC/H.LUN (ALTO ADIGE-SOUTH TIROL)
• MOSCATO BIANCO VAL D'AOSTA DOC /CHATEAU FEUILLET (AOSTA VALLEY)

(Wine pairing with strong cheeses)

12:30 LA MOSCATEL AND THE PORT OF DÉNIA with XAVIER CALVO (historian) and wines from the AIDA Y LUIS winery, Tahúlla wine
Javier Calvo, tells us about the importance of the Muscatel grape industry and how it transformed the port of Dénia. We will carry out a tasting paired with a wine from the Aida and Luis winery.

(Wine pairing with salted fish and tuna)

13:30 TOURISM AND MUSCAT. Alicante Wine Route and Riurau Route with LOURDES RUBIO DONAT (Alicante Wine Route Manager) and LUIS SILVESTRE (Riuraus Route Manager). With wine from Bodegas Riko.

The Route aims to publicize what was the production and marketing of raisins, not only in the Marina Alta, but throughout the territory. With two objectives: the dissemination of the resources of the world of raisins and the revitalization of the economy of the towns of which they are part: shops, restaurants and accommodation.

(Wine pairing with vegetable flatbreads)

17:30 DÉNIA CREATIVE CITY BY UNESCO, WINE IN THE GASTRONOMIC CULTURE with Vicent Martín (Innovation and Creativity Office Advisor. Denia Creative City Unesco) and PDO Alicante. Xaló Cooperative, Wine: Bahía de Dénia.

Dénia and the Marina Alta region are exponents of gastronomy at an international level. We take care of tradition and look after the future of our agri-food system recognized within the Network of Creative Cities of Gastronomy UNESCO in 2015.

(Wine pairing with pastries and sweets)

18:30 CULTURAL AND SUSTAINABLE GARDEN PROJECT, IES SORTS DE LA MAR with Isabel Monserrat, Imma Navarro, Ferran Lluís Naya and Antonia Romero. Teulada Cooperative, Viña Teulada wine.

They will talk about educational innovation for sustainability and the transformation of playgrounds into coeducational spaces.

(Wine pairing with pastries and sweets)

19:30 NATURAL, ECOLOGICAL AND BIODYNAMIC WINES: Juan Tárrega from Vinyología Canor, Vino TOR.

Juan cultivates two hectares of centennial muscatel. In his house-cellar by the sea, in Benissa, he produces 2000 bottles.

(Wine pairing with salted fish and tuna)

20:30 L´ALT DE BENIMAQUIA, THE MOST ANTIC CELLER IN EUROPE WITH JOSEP AHUIR. WINERY Les Freses, Àmfora Wine

Josep and Mara will talk about the archaeological site of 'L'Alt de Benimaquia' and how in Les Freses a wine is made that is fermented and aged in amphorae, emulating those found in said site. Moscatel in oxidative aging. The Les Freses winery is located in Jesús Pobre and recently received the Gold Medal for the Best Moscatel Wine 2018 awarded by the Provincial Association of Sommeliers of Alicante (ASPA).

(Wine pairing with strong cheeses)

From Els Magazinos they welcome an event that, in addition to promoting the relevance of this variety of quality wine from the Valencian Community, is committed to local production and to all the producers who work with it.

Terra Moscatell 2022 Schedule