Wine Law

from the 1990s onwards 18 . At the beginning of this century, wines from Italy, France, Germany, Chile, Argentina, Australia and South Africa have started to compete in the Cuban market 19 . The existence of a wine culture in Cuba is evidenced, among other events, by the celebration of the International Wine Festival ( Fiesta Internacional del Vino ). This important Festival, which is hosted by the Hotel Nacional de Cuba (an emblematic and historical institution at the service of the hotel industry), celebrated its 20 th edition in October 2019. This last edition was held with the presence of 40 wineries and 13 companies – both Cuban and foreign –, and brought together producers, specialists, traders, distributors and sellers from the gastronomic and wine sector, as well as companies and wineries like UCSA Freixenet S.A., DITALIA, Export-Duprasa S.L., CAMAX Chile, Havana Club International S.A., Miguel Torres, Joan Sardá, Catachile, EUROCUBA, Bodegas Melgarajo, Modas Artesanías Panamá S.A. and Brisan Exportaciones International S.A. Bodegas Joan Sardá is one of the foreign companies present in Cuba since the first edition of the festival; located in Penedés (near Barcelona), the company presents a catalogue of high-end products, as well as cavas and selections of reserve cavas that are at least 20 years old. Present on the wine lists of Cuba’s main restaurants and hotels, the wines of Alejandro Fernández Mauro, a prestigious Spanish wine, and Viña Morandé from Chile were promoted during the 19 th edition of the International Wine Festival 20 . Another of the founding houses of the International Wine Festival is Bodegas Torres, which, in the Festival’s 19 th edition, presented Argentinean wines that have been reincorporated, into the Cuban market, new labels for Torres’ wines (Pulgatori from the Costers del Segre Denomination of Origin) and the sparkling Vardon Kennett. The winery itself, whose founder, Jaime Torres, 18 To name the most significant, there are wines such as Freixenet, Sardá, Vega de la Reina, Marqués de Cáceres, Palacio de Arganza, Gandía, Federico Paternina, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal, Giró Ribot, Cune, Conde de Valdemar, Campo Viejo, Las Campanas, Muga, Marqués de Villamagna, Pazo Pondal, Valduero, Viña Alcorta, Bodegas Bilbaínas, Faustino Martínez, Callejo, Marco Real, Vega Sicilia, Los Curros, Pesquera, Pinord and Potros. 19 Vid ., GARCÍA VALDÉS, René, “El vino español y su primacía histórica en Cuba (II parte)”, in Excelencias Gourmet , 3- 7-2018. 20 LÓPEZ PINO, Maite, “Fiesta Internacional del Vino: Bodegas Joan Sardà y su amor por Cuba”, Excelencias Gourmet , 8-7-2018.