July 13th – La Rioja, Spain – JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs sommeliers from across Europe recently gathered for a three-day Intensive Course in Viticulture, Winemaking, and Tasting, hosted by the winery, La Rioja Alta, in Spain. This educational program is part of a series of collaborative initiatives between the two brands aimed at promoting gastronomy, haute cuisine, and the sommelier’s world.
The winemaking and tasting course took place in Haro, La Rioja, Spain, where La Rioja Alta showcased its expertise to six participating JRE Sommeliers. The course focused on various aspects, including the journey from vineyard to winery, the art of crafting exceptional wines, and refining tasting skills.
The participant sommeliers were:
- Hannes Hannes Pretz from restaurant KRAINER in Austria
- Katharina Röder from restaurant BURG FLAMERSHEIM* in Germany
- Bianca van Bochove from restaurant VLASBLOEMEKEN* in the Netherlands
- Saskia Gadola from restaurant CASA ALVA in Switzerland
- Riccardo Moscardi from CASA ELODIA(bib) in Italy
- Selina Hegarty from restaurant CHESTNUT* in the UK
The course was divided into three modules, each covering a specific aspect of winemaking and tasting. The first module provided theoretical knowledge about an optimal viticultural environment, grape varieties, and viticulture technology. The second module focused on winemaking techniques and barrel aging, while the third module explored the art of tasting, including identifying defects in wines and understanding aromas resulting from barrel and bottle aging.
MODULE 1 – FROM THE FIELD TO THE WINERY Module 1 of the course focuses on the journey from the field to the winery, covering topics such as viticultural environment study and characterization methods, botany and physiology, plant material including traditional and new grape varieties, different viticulture approaches, threats to vineyards like Phylloxeras, and the use of precision viticulture technologies like satellites and drones.
MODULE 2 / HOW TO MAKE GREAT WINES Module 2 delves into the process of making great wines, discussing grapes and must as raw ingredients, the evolution of winemaking techniques from wood vats to Winery 4.0, and sensory analysis of varieties and barrel aging within the winery.
MODULE 3 / THE TASTING Module 3 focuses on the art of tasting, introducing an efficient and objective tasting system, identifying defects in wines, exploring aromas from barrel and bottle aging, and examining the evolution of great wines through tastings of renowned examples with long aging periods such as Barolo, Burgundy, Rioja, and South Australia.
“It is a tremendous pleasure for us to work with JRE and be present at their restaurants. We believe our DNA’s match perfectly and very much look forward to the experience and opportunity of pairing JRE dishes with our wines to bring joy and happiness to your customers.” Fernando Goy, EXPORT AREA MANAGER, LA RIOJA ALTA
ABOUT – JRE-JEUNES RESTAURATEURS
In 1974 JRE started as a small French association under the name Jeunes Restaurateurs de France. Due to the successful concept and the great international interest from, initially Germany, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, the association was ‘renamed’ Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe in 1993. Not much later the Netherlands and Spain followed. Today JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs are active in 16 European countries with 370 ‘Jeunes Chefs’, we count more than 190 Michelin stars and there are even aspirations to go intercontinental. 2014 was a special year, 40 years of JRE history were written… In 2016, the new name and logo were launched with the slogan “Never-ending Passion”. This slogan is the foundation of the manifesto which is associated with every chef, partner and supporting producers.
ABOUT – LA RIOJA ALTA S.A.
La Rioja Alta, S.A. was founded by five families in the Barrio of the Haro Station in La Rioja, Spain. The winery is renowned for its Rioja brands, including Gran Reserva 890, Gran Reserva 904, Viña Arana Gran Reserva, Viña Ardanza, and Viña Alberdi. Today, the winery family also includes Torre de Oña in Rioja Alavesa, Áster in Ribera del Duero, and Lagar de Cervera in Rías Baixas. La Rioja Alta blends tradition and modernity, with a strong commitment to its vineyards and ongoing research. The winery also contributes to various wine tourism initiatives and actively participates in social and environmental programs, including “Viña Ardanza Solidary.”
