The XI San Isidro Quality Competition breaks record of participation with more than seventy samples presented

The best wines of the Yecla Protected Designation of Origin are already known, among the 73 samples that six registered wineries presented to the XI San Isidro de Yecla Quality Competition that took place yesterday in this city of the Altiplano.

Four wineries received the highest scores with wines presented to each of the six modalities: vintage white wines, rosé wines, red wines without wood, red wines with wood, all from the 2016 and 2017 vintages, and red wines with vintages 2015 and earlier, and sweet wines. (Attached list of winners)

The event, which took place in the salons of the restaurant Aurora de Yecla, was attended by the Minister of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Miguel Ángel del Amor Saavedra, and the Mayor of Yecla, Marcos Ortuño, along with a large representation of all local wineries.

The coordinator of the Contest, the oenologist Adrián Martínez Cutillas, highlighted the recognition received from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment "that has encouraged the wineries to present more samples than in the past" and valued the "great work done during all the morning, since they have had to taste an average of 52 wines each one ».

The president of the Regulatory Council, Pascual Molina García, highlighted that "our tradition implies knowing how to do and that is our main argument in a globalized market, where it makes us competitive".

For his part, the Mayor of Yecla Marcos Ortuño Soto, said that "wine always accompanies us in good times and with such a product it is easy to convey optimism" and showed his "personal and institutional support to the Yecla wine sector".

The first mayor valued the event very positively before giving way to the Minister of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Miguel Ángel del Amor Saavedra, who was visiting yesterday for the first time Yecla.

The owner of Agriculture congratulated "all the winners and organizers of this event" to highlight "the necessary work carried out by the wineries of this appellation of origin and the importance of the promotion of Yecla wines that have this promotion".

Del Amor said that "Murcia is the sixth exporting province of Spain" and recalled that "wines with designation of origin represent 87 million euros in export volume, according to figures from the Institute of Development."

Tribute to yeclanos
The event ended with the homage of the Regulatory Council of the Yecla Protected Designation of Origin to three vine growers in the area and a catering entrepreneur, for his work in the promotion of wine.

The young farmers with vineyards registered in the Council, Juan Miguel López Abellán, Sergio Puche Aguilera and Patricio Palao Ortega received the tribute "for their entrepreneurial work in the sector".

Finally, the Council acknowledged "the work of support, service, recognition and defense of Yecla wines to the gastronomic establishment 'La Bodega' that has been promoting our wines since its inception" in the person of its founder, Antonio García Muñoz.