"In 2009 we hope to continue in this vain and that the consumers of our wine continue to be happy with us."
"The Year 2008 was a year of recognition and stability"
How would José Manuel RodrÃguez the President of the Regulatory Council of the Denominación de Origin Ribeira Sacra sum up the year 2008 for the D.O.?
Like the best wines, the D.O. is improving with time. Year after year the denominación becomes more stable and secure and our products are now firmly established in the market. The necessary steps have been taken to establish the D.O. and today the D.O. is in a secure position
So the D.O. is not affected by the crisis?
In the first eight months of this year, the sale of wine from the Denominación de Origin Ribeira Sacra increased by 35%. The crisis is not affecting us. The Denominación has been growing gradually since its beginning, the growth is stable and with respect to the coming year it is as expected.
In short, what did the year 2008 mean for the D.O.?
The year 2008 was a year of institutional stability, commercial stability and wine production. It was a year of recognition from several very important events such as the hosting of the International Conference of Mountain Wines and the Ribeira Sacra wines being mentioned amongst the best wines of the world in the Parker Wine Guide.
This year new markets were opened, but which are the principal markets for the Ribeira Sacra, are wines being requested for restaurants or for buying?
The principel markets continue to be Galicia and Spain. For some time now we have exported to Great Britain, the United States, China and Japan, amongst other countries. As to the type of consumer, it reflects the tendencies of the market. Today the wines of the Ribeira Sacra are on the wine lists of numerous restaurants and the customers are asking for them. The presence of our wines in the restaurant trade is very important as is its presence in the supermarkets and shops. Today it is easy to find a Ribeira Sacra wine.
Work began on the Wine Trail this year, will 2009 be the year it is all in place?
This year we put the structures in place and now we need to do the finishing touches. The most important work is done, to have a project and identified people to take it forward, but there is still a lot of work infront of us, especially of an administrative nature. In 2009 the Wine Trail will begin to operate and you will be able to see the finished work functioning properly between the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010.
With your sights now set on the coming year, other than the Wine Trail, what objectives and perspectives does the C.R.D.O.R.S. have?
Other than the Wine Trail it will be important for the Council to have their new headquarters in the Ribeira Sacra Interpretation Centre, above all because it will mean that the building can offer an integrated service providing information on everything that combines to make the Ribeira Sacra what it is. In the year 2009 we hope to continue with the same stability that we have had up until now, that the consumers continue to be happy with us and that it will be a good year for wine production, we have had two years of bad weather patterns, it would be good if 2009 breaks this pattern and the weather is kinder.