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Young people and wine culture
“El riojano joven y fresco” is an initiative of lomejordelvinoderioja.com to bring wine closer to young people and involve them in responsible consumption. These are open days, held in the main streets of cities such as Logroño, Santander and Bilbao, which publicize the wines of the best Rioja wineries in a fun and festive atmosphere.
I was sitting in the park one afternoon in June, waiting to go to dinner at Nieves restaurant, one of the best Chinese restaurants in Logroño, which some friends of ours have been running for 15 years in the capital.
On the back bench, two people were sitting, they looked like father and son and were having a civilized and good-natured discussion that immediately caught my attention because of the reasoning of both of them.
I invent two names to tell you about the controversy with the initiative of the young and fresh Riojano that is held twice a year in the capital of Rioja, Logroño. Luis I will call the father and Juan the son.
Luis says that he thinks it is a horrible initiative, totally harmful for the youth and not very interesting for the wineries.
Juan replies that it is the great appointment with the world of wine and that about thirty wineries come to give a tasting of their wines.
Luis answers that it is the closest thing to a macro-botellón to which young people are getting used to and where they end up going wild.
Juan replies to his father that there is everything among the 4,500 attendees, as is normal, but that thanks to this initiative, he and for the first time 5 years ago had contact with the world of wine and not by his hand as other parents do with their children in different appellations of origin and in different countries.
Luis reproaches him for saying that there is always time to get closer to the world of wine.
Juan tells him that this is what most of his friends’ parents think and that this is why they flirt with beer first and continue to consume it regularly.
Luis replies that they start drinking too early.
Juan, “yes of course …., and when did you start drinking, Dad?”. Luis realizes that it was at a similar age………but with wine and by his father’s hand.
Luis remains thoughtful and Juan continues saying, “of course, it is easy to label us for practicing binge drinking, drinking and smoking early, but because of a misunderstood protection you do not make us participate in the moderate consumption of wine and the surrounding culture, despite being a heavyweight”.
Luis, “yes, that’s why ….., it is part of our culture and must be treated with respect”.
Juan, “yes, the bad thing is that by not treating it, making it flexible and close all my generation processed a beer culture. You were always very closed, remember the day I asked you to go with me to a tasting with your office mates, you answered me that it would not be possible because you had to have previous knowledge and we would make a fool of ourselves”.
Luis becomes thoughtful again……….
Juan, “yes dad, they are always closed circles that are aimed at people who already have a minimum level and where we are not well accepted by serious wine scholars”.
Luis “well is that wine is more than just a drink……..”
Juan, “yes dad, part of our Mediterranean diet, part of our millenary culture, but only for a few who understand something or for some gentlemen with money who want to pretend what they don’t know.I’ll show you, dad, currently on TV there are two ads of important brands of beer, both are different but with points in common:
- They take place in a festive atmosphere.
- Young people participate.
- Everyone consumes.
- They jump into the pool in their clothes.
- There is good background music.
- A person appears sitting carefully on the piano.
- One of them shows a mansion.
- In the other a discotheque with very neat decoration.
- Everything is attractive, close and invites to participate.
- And most importantly, no one is tearing their hair out over these facts.
How many men in the wine world do you know who are capable of making these announcements a reality”.
I answered for me, lomejordelvinoderioja.com with the young and fresh riojano that in addition to the two days in Logroño, they take it to Bilbao, Santander and Oviedo.
I remained thoughtful and realized that I had done in the world of wine just what Juan reproached his father for: If culture is not well practiced and shared with as many people as possible, it will end up dying and ceasing to be culture or becoming the culture of another time.
Fdo. Alejandro Perez
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Youth and wine culture
“Riojano Joven y Fresco” is an initiative of lomejordelvinoderioja.com, to properly introduce wine to the youth and to encourage them to participate in responsible consumption. Within a conference, held in the main streets of cities like Logroño, Santander or Bilbao they offer wines from the best wineries in Rioja in a fun, festive yet informative atmosphere.
It was in June; one afternoon while sitting in the park waiting for dinner in the restaurant Nieves, one of the best Chinese restaurants in Logrono, which our friends had run for 15 years in the capital.
Two people were sitting on a bench; a father and son appeared to be involved in a civilized discussion with good tone that immediately caught my attention by the reasoning of both.
I will make up two names to tell the controversy with the initiative of the Riojano joven y fresco, that every year is celebrated twice in Logroño, the capital of Rioja. I will call the father Luis and the son John.
Luis says he looks like a bad idea, totally harmful to youth and uninteresting for wineries.
Juan tells him that it is the big date with the world of wine and thirty wineries come to offer a taste of their wines.
Luis replied that it was the closest thing to an event where the young are getting used and where they end up crazy.
John answers to his father that there will be close to 4,500 attendees, as usual and thanks to this initiative, he, for the first time five years ago, had been properly introduced to the world of wine and not like other parents do with their children in different denominations of origin and in other countries.
Luis, he complains, there is always time to approach the world of wine.
John tells his father that most of their friends flirt first with beer and following a habit.
Luis tells him that they start drinking too early.
John, “yeah right… and when did you start drinking, Dad?” Luis realizes it was at a similar age … but with wine.
Luis remains thoughtful while John says, “Of course it is easy to label us as early drinkers and smokers, and due to a badly understood sense of protection you don’t let us take part in the wine consumption and culture, though it is so important for us “.
Luis, “Exactly… it is part of our culture and should be treated with respect”.
John, “If the problem is that by not treating it and making it flexible my generation will become a beer culture. Remember the day I asked to accompany you to a tasting with your colleagues in the office, you answered that it would not be possible since I had to have prior knowledge about wine.”
Luis becomes to be sympathetic.
John, “yes dad, the wine culture remains being constructed behind closed doors and it is focused on people who already have a basic knowledge and where we young people are not well accepted by the serious wine scholars.”
Luis “Okay, but wine is more than a drink ……..”
John, “Yes dad, part of the Mediterranean diet, part of our ancient culture, but only for a few who understand something or to some gentlemen with money. I’m going to prove it dad, currently two TV commercials of major brands of beer, both have different but common points:
- They thrive in a party atmosphere.
- Young people are participating.
- All of them drink.
- They throw themselves in the pool all dressed up.
- There is good background music.
- A person is sitting carefully on the piano.
- In one of them there is a mansion.
- In the other, a nightclub with lovely decoration.
- Everything is attractive, close and invited to participate.
- And most importantly, no one feels outraged by the facts.
How many businessmen in the wine world do you know who were capable of making this commercials?
I replied to myself, lomejordelvinoderioja.com with El Riojano Joven y Fresco, which after two days of Logroño, continues to Bilbao, Santander and Oviedo.
I remained pensive and I realized I had done in the wine world just what John reproached his father: If culture is not practiced well and not shared with as many people as possible, it ends up dying and stops being culture or starts being the culture of another time.
Fdo. Alejandro Perez
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