Malaga, the Spanish capital of wine and gourmet produce

The event took place throughout the day at the NH Málaga hotel in the city centre and was attended by around a hundred exhibitors, featuring more than 250 wineries and nearly 900 different products to sample (around 500 wines and over 350 select products). The day was rounded off with a dozen tastings and product presentations, as well as an innovative speciality coffee corner.

Now in its sixth year, the event has become a real hub for the hospitality sector in the province. It attracts all manner of professionals linked to the world of wine and fine produce, and hundreds of deals are struck and professional contacts made there. Wineries, distributors, small and large producers, bar and restaurant owners, and hotel managers now regard this event as a fixed fixture in their diaries year after year.

This year’s event has been even bigger, if that’s possible, with producers attending from numerous Spanish provinces. It is sponsored by the provincial authorities of Malaga, Almeria, Cordoba, Huelva, Jaén and Valladolid and their respective organisations to promote local produce: Sabor a Málaga, Sabores Almería, Sabor a Córdoba, Degusta Jaén and Alimentos de Valladolid.

Among those making their debut this year was Ignacio Prado, head of Artisan Coffee, who has just been crowned Spanish Aeropress champion. He was based in the coffee corner and was offering two specialities: a blend of Brazilian and Colombian beans, and a decaffeinated variety. “We have a lot in common with the world of wine because we’re a seasonal, gourmet and very gastronomic product,” he explained.

This professional believes that the world of coffee is also growing rapidly, although he thinks that hospitality businesses could still do a little more and offer coffee menus in the same way they do with wine.

“You can’t round off a fantastic meal with a poor-quality coffee,” he said. In his case, extending the trade fair with this corner has proved to be a real success because “it brings together two very similar worlds, as we’re cousins”.

Another of the prominent figures to attend the fair is Jonas Tofterup, the only Master of Wine (MV - the highest international qualification and accolade in the wine industry) in southern Spain. He introduced himself as co-founder of Bodegas Trenza and director of the Iberian Wine Academy in Malaga. “It’s a good place to network and raise our profile,” he said.

This professional said that people are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the world of wine, which is why it is important to take part in events of this kind. Speaking about his winery, he explained that they specialise in the Monastrell grape and described how they operate in a rather unique way: they buy the grapes from growers and produce the wine in rented cellars to keep costs down and avoid having to make a large initial investment. “We’re really keen to let people know what we do.”

Among the largest delegations at this fair, Sabor a Málaga is taking part with nearly twenty producers. One of them is Quesos Santa María del Cerro, from Villanueva de la Concepción. Its manager, Isabel Romero, explains that they attend whenever they can because this is a fantastic showcase for their products.

“It helps us raise our profile and let people know about everything we do.” Among their wide range, the soft and blue cheeses stand out - types that are rarely produced in Malaga. “Our hallmark is that everything is made by hand using traditional methods.”

SUR Wines & Gourmet has also become a fantastic platform for showcasing products from other regions of Andalucía and the rest of Spain.

Jaén is a case in point. Thirteen producers from this province attended, organised by Degusta Jaén. These include companies such as Aceites Oro Bailén and Licores Riska.

Irene Rubio, from the former, stated: “You have to be here at this fair because of the visibility it offers.” In her view, it is important to raise awareness because “olive oil is highly regarded and valued by restaurants and customers alike.”

From another Andalusian province, Cordoba, comes the current Spanish ham-carving champion, Javier Fernández. “When you have a good ham at any meal, you know everyone’s going to be happy,” he said. This professional was here on behalf of the company Oro Viejo, which was taking part in the fair for the first time. Its manager, Ángel Gómez, added: “We’ve come to promote the brand because it’s important to attract new customers in Malaga.”

Also from the neighbouring province this year is Obrador San Andrés, from Montilla. The owner, María José Padillo, believes that events like this are vital for raising awareness of what small producers do, and that they need support in the face of competition from the big chains.

“We want to raise our profile because we have a small distributor, and I think our product could be a good fit for the whole coast,” she said.

Compiling a list of the select products available to sample at the event would take an age. One of them is the Tantum Ergo cava from Bodegas Hispano Suizas, which has been named the best in its category this year by the prestigious Peñin guide. The manager of the company that distributes it, Distribuciones Merino, explained that it is produced in Requena (Valencia) and that they are showcasing this product “to highlight that great products are also made in places with seemingly less tradition”.

From the other corner of Spain comes Alberto González, from Bodegas Ogón, who was in Malaga on behalf of Valladolid’s ‘La Milla de Oro del Vino’. “We’re a very small winery and we’ve come to make contacts. We only produce 8,000 bottles a year and we want to raise our profile,” he explained.

Others who travelled halfway across Spain to take part in the fair were the wines from the DO Navarra. Its president, David Palacios, pointed out that they were already present last year and have returned “because of the quality of the people who came and the contacts we make”.

On this occasion, they brought only a selection of rosé wines, as Malaga and the Costa del Sol are markets where there is strong demand for them. “Malaga, thanks to both its climate and its cuisine, is a province where our wines are very well received,” he said.

As well as showcasing wines and fine foods, SUR Wines & Gourmet also featured a packed programme of tastings and product presentations. One of the most popular events was led by Ángel González, sommelier at the Marbella Club hotel, who hosted a tasting entitled ‘Great champagnes vs great cavas’.

González, one of the most highly regarded professionals in his sector, explained the differences between the two regions and believes that there are outstanding examples in both, although it is true that everything produced in the Champagne region is much more strictly regulated and must, by law, be of the highest quality.

Throughout the day, other tastings were also held, such as ‘The nuances of our DO Malaga wines’, ‘A sensory journey through the Priego de Córdoba PDO and the world’s most award-winning olive oil’, ‘Great Gems of the Navarra DO: Wines that Tell Stories’, and ‘Huelva, delicious by nature’.