In the latest edition of the Bacchus Awards, one of the most prestigious Spanish wine competitions, 37 of the 1,747 wines presented were awarded the highest distinction: a Great Gold Bacchus.
Among the award-winning references, many aged wines from Jerez and Rioja, ranging from 30 to 100 euros. Some wine between 10 and 20 euros also slipped in, but nothing comparable to the Sinfo Rosado of the 2021 vintage, which obtained the highest distinction with a supermarket price that is always below five euros.
This claret, made from 80% with tempranillo grape and in the remaining 20% with white varieties, mostly Verdejo and Albillo, it is the flagship of the Sinforiano winery. The winery, located in the town of Mucientes, is one of the best known of the Valladolid Cigales Denomination of Origin. And although Sinfo is not a well-known wine outside the province, it is quite an institution in Pucelano bars, where its direct and fresh character is highly appreciated.
“The best prize we have is that Sinfo is in all the bars in Valladolid, and they ask for it by name,” sommelier Josan Solano, commercial director of the winery, assures DAP. “We do some 300,000 bottles a year just from this reference and the truth is that we are tremendously proud to be the most important flag of Cigales at an international level”.
The Gran Bacchus de Oro is not the only important award that the winery has received. “Our first bombshell was to win the award for best rosé in the world in the Brussels International Competition for Quelías”, explains Solano. And it’s not that this wine, its highest level rosé, is going down in price: it costs less than 10 euros. Sinfo and Quelías have also received this year two of the eight great gold medals that are awarded to the rosé wines in the contest Vinalies Internationales.
A world-class rosé
Cigales has always been a rosé-oriented DO, which has been progressing with the hope that the announced one will one day arrive rosé revolution: a phenomenon that has occurred in almost all of Europe, but not in Spain. Proof of this is that Bodegas Sinforiano takes 40% of its production outside our borders.
“In Spain there are three diseases important riojitis, riberitis Y wheelitisSolano explains. “But outside, quality and price are valued and our winery has these conditions.”
Although Bodegas Sinforiano belongs to a family of fifth generation vintners, it was not until 2004, when their new winery was inaugurated on the outskirts of Mucientes, when they began to stand out. “It’s when we hit the turning point,” says the manager. “It is already being built for the needs of a winery, because we are above all vine growers, and we were very clear about what our project was.”
Since then the business has gone from strength to strength, but Solano laments that his wines are not better known, and valued, in Spain, a cross suffered by all rosé producers: “When we do tastings, everyone is blown away by the quality of the wine, but how can a commercial ask you for the wine if in the restaurant menus there are only one or two rosés. And those who have… If we cannot offer this type of product to the consumer, and we have to use the restaurant professional, there is an insurmountable obstacle”.
An obstacle that, in the case of Sinfo, can be overcome by going to Carrefour or El Corte Inglés, two large supermarket chains where they always have it. around 4 euros. A luxury.
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