The Spanish embassy, in collaboration with the Maltese-Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Attard & Co. Foodstuffs Ltd, recently presented a selection of wines from Bodegas Fariña to a group of guests from Malta’s restaurant, hotel and local business communities. The wine tasting is part of a programme of events aimed at promoting Spanish products in Malta.
On this occasion, guests had the opportunity to taste a selection of wines presented by Bodegas Fariña representative Nicola Thornton, who described the winery, the different varieties of grapes and the Protected Designation of Origin Toro, considered to be one of the world’s finest wine regions.
The tasting began with Colegiata Blanco, a fresh, clean and crisp aromatic white wine made from some of the oldest Malvasia vines in the region. It continued with a selection of reds: Fariña Primero, a fresh, fruity, juicy and easy drinking wine, which is the region’s first carbonic maceration wine, followed by Spanish Sons, an aromatic Tempranillo that displays Fariña´s amazing value for money, and Gran Colegiata Campus, Fariña’s premium wine from up to 140-year-old vines – an intense and complex wine with notes of violets, spice and liquorice.
The tasting concluded with the dessert wine Val de Reyes Blanco Semi Dulce from the famed Moscatel varietal. The event was hosted at the residence of Spanish Ambassador Felipe de la Morena in Balzan, who described the importance of the wine industry in Spain, its international importance and its high level of competitiveness.
He also expressed his wish to enhance the presence of Spanish wines in Malta and promote business relations between the two countries. Alfredo Muñoz, president of the chamber, highlighted its growing role and increasing activities.
Guests, including food and beverage managers of a number of leading restaurants and hotels in Malta as well as the members of the Maltese-Spanish Chamber of Commerce, were enthusiastic about the event, particularly about the wines presented and the growing commercial opportunities between Spain and Malta.