The ’10th Desafio en Copa’ took place recently in Valencia, organised by Arturo Giner (MASQCATAS) and held in The Tryp Atlantic Hotel. This competition has been a popular annual event. It is a focus for those wine-lovers and professionals in and around Valencia who enjoy tasting blind and identifying the wine in the glass.
The “Challenge” or “Desafío” in Spanish consists of demonstrating one’s knowledge about the wines offered for the event. It starts with four different wines and those who have had the most success identifying them go on to a second round to taste just one further wine. They have to identify the vintage, the winery that made it, and the grape varieties that it contains. If there is a tie, those who were successful move to a third round where they have to identify the alcoholic strength.
32 entrants took part this year, five of them made it to the final round and four of those emerged as prize winners depending on the accuracy of their final answers.
1st prize went to Ernesto Piris (prize with 30 bottles of wine, a dinner at the Benavent Restaurant in Cullera, 100 euros in cash, and a wine tourism visit to one of the collaborating wineries)
2nd prize went to Laura González (prize of 12 bottles of wine and the wine tour)
3rd prize was awarded to Javier Cantos (prize of 6 bottles of wine and the wine tour visit)
4th Andrés, the manager of the Restaurant La Llar de Pescadors in El Palmar ( 3 bottles of wine and wine tour) won the final prize.
Apart from running this competition and ‘MasQcatas’, Arturo is a sometime chef who enters the local gastronomy competitions and organises events such as a forthcoming Rio Jucar wine-tasting cruise. He has also won past tasting events with ASEV. In this challenge, he was assisted once again by Eli Bravo and José de Paula.
The event is sponsored by the bodegas providing the wines in the challenge and some independent wine merchants. There is an open tasting on the Hotel´s terrace giving an opportunity to taste a wide range of interesting wines.
Amongst these, we tasted the De Alberto rosé 2021, a wine from the Rueda-based bodega famous for its ‘sherry style’ old wines with oxidative ageing. The rosé is fruity and floral.
Probably the wine of the night was Bellmunt and Oliver’s ‘Traditional method’ rosado Brut Nature, 70% Pinot Noir and 30%, Chardonnay. This bottle with its 60 months ‘en rima’ was full of red fruit flavour, was creamy, and had perfectly integrated bubbles.
Back to the whites we liked the very full De Alberto ‘Sobre Lias’ Verdejo, the Godello from DO Ribeiro ‘Viña de Campo’. Noted for fresh and fruity wines, the Godello variety has a bit more weight and fruit than some of the other varieties. This wine did not disappoint.
Cala Beso from Bestué is a DO Samontano rosé, a blend of Garnacha, Syrah, and some Riesling. Onion skin with copper flashes, lots of fruit of the forest on the nose, white stone fruit in the mouth, and a nice balancing acidity.
There was a wide selection of wines from Vera de Estenas and Chozas Carrascal, both bodegas in Utiel Requena, the former’s Cava, and the latter’s ‘Anma’ stood out.
Another very enjoyable and educational event. Congratulations to the winners.
Vivid team
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