March 17, 2023 will be marked in the vermouth calendar because it has hosted the presentation of the ninth Catalan Vermouth Wine Awards. It was presented by El Món journalist Quico Sallés from the Llotja in Reus and brought together a wide representation of the sector that conceptualises and bottles this type of drink throughout the Catalan territory.

The event made it possible to know the results of the competition that annually awards the best vermouths in Catalonia of the year.

Either by category, differentiating the best whites, blacks, reserves or innovators, or also the special awards of the year, which have been the following:

Special Awards:

- Best vermouth in Catalonia 2023: EL RAVAL DE BARCELONA, from Celler Ronadelles

- Best Vermuturisme initiative: La Casa del Vermut, by Vermouth Padró

- Best vermouth label: VERMUT AIRE, by Pàkaru & Miquel Altadill

- Best vermouth for cocktails: GINIRIS, from the De Muller winery

- Best vermouth: Lo Racó del Vermutenc, from La Ràpita

In terms of product categories, these have been the most prominent, the Grans Ors, of 2023:

• Gran Or White Vermouths: OLAVE BLANC from Oratvin
• Gran Or Black Vermouths: EL RAVAL DE BARCELONA, from the Ronadelles winery
• Gran Or Vermuts Reserva: BRUN, from the Oliveda Group
• Gran Or: Other Vermouth Styles: Xalar Vermouth, Coca and Fitó.

Tasting day at the Enológica
In this ninth edition, the Vinari Awards called on twenty professional tasters to evaluate each and every one of the brands blindly, without knowing either the brand, the producer or the territory of origin. During the session they awarded a score that determined the rankings for the year.

What the jury did know was the type of vermouth they had in the glass, differentiating between white, black or red, reserve and innovative vermouths, the latter category, which accommodates orange, rosé or drinks with some characteristic that escapes the most traditional standards.

Among the jury, winemakers linked to various projects from all over Catalonia such as Jaume Àrboles, Montserrat Nadal or Sumpta Mateos - also coordinator of the sommelier course at the Rovira i Virgili University of Tarragona-; sommeliers such as Joan Carrion (ACS Tarragona), Rosa Maria del Castillo or Pep Escudero, who specializes in ratafies; and all of this, complemented by the presence of local tasters, some of whom are intimately linked with the world of restaurants in Reus.

Reus City Council has supported the Vinari Awards since their inception in 2014. "We are historic producers of vermouth and we have all the ingredients to continue working as a vermouth capital", shared Montserrat Caelles, councilor for City Promotion . And he added, "it's always an honor for us to accompany projects that promote both the drink itself and the culture that surrounds it."

The Vermouth Wine Awards are organized by digital Vadevi and are made possible thanks to the collaboration of Reus Promoció Ajuntament de Reus, Sanmy Geiser, Euroselecció Riedel, Pulltex, Gràfiques Varias, Tastets, Sarau and more and Patates Piqué.