Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

for several years now I have been conducting my own survey of Spanish bars, HIC !
and I have yet to see one that stocks French Brandy HIC !
(but plenty of Scotch Whisky HIC!)
and I have never found one that sells anything other than Spanish wine HIC !

as to beers, well there does seem to be a fair amount of Heineken being drunk from the bottle - but I believe they have a brewery in Spain and Portugal - in fact they have 125 breweries in 75 countries.

Spain needs to do more international marketing of its food and drink, but it is difficult when so many countries have their own wines. The last time I was in a Tesco 95% of their wines were from California and Australia, only a couple of shelves for Spain, about the same space as for Bulgaria - which produces some very good wines.
but then we already know the UK's drinking habits are dictated by silly young things working in the procurement depts, making us drink what they like.
:drinkwine:

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

As I mentioned above, I've lost faith in UK supermarkets to provide good wine, too much of a lottery, and I now order cases from an online supplier (Naked Wines), which to date has consistently supplied good wine - yes, from various countries although mainly European ones. Unless you're one of those who knows the vineyard label (and vintage) it's easy to buy wine from the supermarket that disappoints. Best example of that is "Rioja" - yes you can get good wine from that region, but you have to choose a good label - some of the suppliers from that region must have very poor quality control, I know i've tasted a couple of terrible wines from there, and judging by other talkboards, I'm not the only one. :thumbdown:

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

but we know what the problem is Stevie - buyers and merchandisers who really have no idea of what they are buying :(
they are under an illusion that people will buy the lowest price, but when the excise duty on a 70cl bottle is £2.00 + (say) £1.00 for the product/packacking etc = £3.00 + VAT @20% then selling price is £3.60.

the only thing they have any control over is the cost of product/packaging, but there isnt much for anyone in that area. it can be a poor wine or a good wine, makes little difference.

Discussing this with a friend from the La Mancha region, she said that the problem is the market is flooded with Rioja that is cheap (and getting cheaper). This isn't good quality, it is second or third pressing stuff that when exported to (for example) the UK it gives a poor representation of what can be available.
Probably CM will respond with some bunkum, but it is her I will believe - her father grows the grapes that go to a co-operative consortium and they only provided first pressing valdepenas. Even a heathen like me can tell the difference between what she gets for us when home and what comes from the supermarkets.

but as I have said elsewhere, Spain needs to ensure it gets the correct recognition for its foodstuffs, drink etc. No use selling the olive oil into Italy to become part of their Mediterranean Olive Oil - they get the recognition and on the back of that also the sales of their own product for the more discerning user. There is surely slack in the market for Sherry Vinegar, the variety of cheeses, the meat (cured and non-cured). All my cooking is local meat, straight from the butcher, cooked with local (in village processed) extra virgin olive oil (I buy from the processor so no middle man).

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Bloody hell, we've gone from the Spanish Crisis to a wine snobs discussion,.....or maybe in one or two particular cases, for wine snobs read binge drinkers. ;)

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

This is a good post, absolutely correct

Spaniards see the mainstream foreign markets as a cash cow and keep all the good stuff for themselves. The problem is of course that then foreigners think Spanish food and wine is terrible

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

I don't get it, more than 50% of the worlds olive oil comes from Spain, its the worlds biggest producer of olive oil... just how much more do they need to market it if they already own the market share?

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Spain produces 50% of the world's olive oil, but it doesnt market it. Many is sold under Italian brand names outside of Spain, so people actually think they have bought Italian olive oil

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Given the size of the manufacturers and the vast investment they have put into what is one of the most advanced food production industries in the world I find that incredibly hard to believe. Most of the olive and olive oil manufacturers are happy to show you around their impressive plants, go and have a look.

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Forget it. Spain is the #1 producer of anything that is worth having.

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

What a silly post ;)

Everyone on BE Spain is well informed of that fact :rofl:

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Spain my be the largest producer but they may need to sell under Italy brand because of the many scandals. Only last year some were caught selling cheap oil as extra virgin.Then there was the engine oil scandal that killed or deformed thousands. Proves most Spaniards can't tell a good oil, let alone foreigners.

I think Spain'solive growers had a bad year last year. Remember reading it somewhere.

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

The figures don't stack up, Italy would have to be exporting more olive oil for the statement to be true given the quantity Spain produces. If they were sending most of 50% of the worlds olive production to Italy then Italy would be the main exported as well as the main "producer"....

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Yeah they did, about 60% down but to be fair everywhere did. Something to do with a crap growing season.

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Certainly are when it comes to emigrants.

Re: How will La Crisis effect Spain in the long term?
 

Way behind the UK it seems

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-dev...ills-shortages