Last week I went to the International Organic Wine Fair in Navarre, Spain (FIVE). It is not common that this type of initiatives are carried out at a global level, and especially, if they are not integrated in other fairs promoting organic products in general or wines alone.

The reasons why a fair like this had to be organized are easy to understand. On the one hand, the organic attitude is travelling around the planet. Without any doubt, we all have an organic attitude. We all know our children will not see many of the things we saw when we where kids. The climate change process is irreversible, and the only thing we can do is trying to reduce it. However, the priority given to this issue is yet another aspect to be tackled. On the other hand, organic Wineries wished to be differentiated from the rest of Wineries ellaborating with conventional methods.

Figures about the growing interest in the ellaboration of ecological wine is evident. The cultivated surface and the amount of Wineries betting on ecological wine are continuously growing, both in the World and in Spain. Oddly enough, the demand at the national market does not seem to grow at the same pace. This makes organic wineries put all their hopes in the international market.

In Pamplona, all 52 wineries present at the fair had the opportunity to show their products  as a wide representation of the sector’s production to the most curious visitors –most of them specialized in organic wine.

My first feeling pushes me to express general satisfaction –both because of the stands and of the visitors. The analysis each one of us will make in the short or medium term from the results perceived will determine whether the Fair will be more or less successful in coming editions. In any case, I have the feeling that the next edition will have more visitors and stands.

I would like to congratulate FIVE organizers –a team led by Ignacio Bidegain, and including Sandra Beltrán among others– on the fantastic results. It did not seem at all it was the very first edition of the Fair.

I would also like to congratulate the (Organic Agriculture Association of Navarre) (AEN) –led by Edorta Lezaun– on the initiative that set in motion this important event.

Congratulations to the sponsors (The Government of Navarre, and D.O. Navarre, among others). Initiatives like this will help us to get out from this crisis.

We will be looking forward to the next edition.

Image obtained from FIVE
Related posts: First International Organic Wine Fair in Spain