Wine Law

426 WINE LAW 2. WINE PRODUCTION IN CUBA? In a first approach to the phenomenon of the introduction of wine in Cuba, a special reference has been made to the import and consumption of wines, mainly European wines. However, since the colonial period, there has been an interest on the part of possible local producers in grape cultivation in a tropical climate. PÉREZ ACEVEDO states: “In Cuba, since the 18 th century, the main wine-growing regions have been concentrated mainly in the central and eastern regions of the country, with small areas dedicated to the cultivation of grapes, which have developed from introduced varieties, mainly from Europe. Over the years, cultivation has spread to other regions of the country” 12 . In locations such as Banao and Batabanó, there are experimental vineyards. Since 1996, 30 hectares of vines from the Gianfranco Fantinel estates in the north of Italy have been planted in Pinar del Río, as a result of a joint venture between Italy and Cuba with its Castillo del Morro, Soroa, San Cristóbal and Cortés lines of production. Regarding Bodegas San Cristobal, S. A., it began operations in Cuba as a joint venture with the Italian company Fantinel, with its focus not being, however, on national production, but on importing must for subsequent processing, as well as bulk wine, to be bottled in Cuba under the national brand. Despite this, the company has tried to maintain a certain amount of grape cultivation with the aim of producing a genuinely Cuban wine in the future. In the town of Banao, which belongs to the central province of Sancti Spiritus, there has been a programme for the cultivation of vineyards since the 1960s, and, since the early years of this century, there has been an encouragement for the cultivation of almost 20 varieties of grapes, as well as the development of activities of the Cuban-Spanish joint venture Bodegas del Caribe, which is responsible for the manufacture, distribution and export of the products. Among the products, the Castillo del Wajay wine stands out, being produced in Cuba with Spanish grapes, and grown and harvested on the island 13 . For several years, Bodegas del Caribe S.A. has been distributing Spanish wines of well - known brands in their red, rosé and white varieties to hotel chains and shops, exclusively, Palacio de Arganza, Señorío de La Antigua, Señorío de Peñalba, 12 Vid. TORNIETTO, Jorge, SOTÉS RUIZ, Vicente & D. GÓMEZ-MIGUEL, Vicente, Clima, zonificación y tipicidad del vino en regiones vitivinícolas iberoamericanas . CYTED, Madrid, 2012, p. 184. 13 Cfr . “El auténtico vino cubano” in Excelencias Magazines , available in http://excellencesmagazines.com/caribe/el-vacio/gastronomia/el-autentico-vino-cubano.