The Cadiz town of Jerez de la Frontera was the scene this Monday, June 1, of a working session between representatives from Marsala (Sicily), Samos (Greece), the Denominations of Origin of Natural Sweet Wines from the south of France, and the Denomination of Origin of the Marco de Jerez, with the aim of promoting the candidacy of fortified wines from the 'Sun Belt' for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
This initiative seeks to have fortification recognized as a legacy passed down through generations, as an enological technique, as a shared culture, a memory of traditional crafts, a social manifestation, and a key element of the identity of Mediterranean territories historically open to the outside world, as indicated by the Jerez City Council in a statement.
The meeting was held in the context of Vinoble 2026 in Jerez and was attended by the mayor, María José García-Pelayo, along with Vito Bentivegna, director of the Wine and Olive Oil Institute of Sicily, Bernard Rouby, president of Vins doux Naturels France, Titos Francis, director of D. O. Samos, and César Saldaña, president of the Regulatory Council of Jerez.
This is the third coordination meeting, following previous encounters held in Sicily and Paris, as part of a project initially launched by Marsala in 2024 and which has been consolidated through a process of institutional cooperation. The aim is to conceive wine not only as an economic driver but also as culture, landscape, accumulated knowledge, and living heritage.
"I believe this event is very important for fortified wines, for Europe, and of course for Jerez. I hope that very soon UNESCO will be recognizing these historic wines that are represented here as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," asserted the mayor, who emphasized that this "enhances the value of such an important hallmark of identity as wine and all that it does to unite territories."
García-Pelayo highlighted the shared knowledge and commercial ties that are generated "with a single voice to defend the concerns that also affect fortified wines," with Vinoble being a "meeting point" to hold events that are "important for wine."
"We do not just stop at showcasing the wine heritage we have, but important decisions are also made here," she stated during her speech.
UNESCO has already granted this type of protection to various expressions related to wine. In the intangible heritage category, for example, the traditional Georgian method of winemaking in qvevri (or kvery), inscribed in 2013, is listed, as is the Festival of the Vine Growers of Vevey, in Switzerland, incorporated in 2016.
Regarding world heritage, numerous wine landscapes enjoy recognition for their cultural value, such as Saint-Émilion, the Alto Douro, Tokaj, Lavaux, Piedmont, Burgundy, or Champagne.
The Jerez City Council also recalled that this Sunday, within the framework of Vinoble, the Declaration of the Historic Fortified Wines of Europe was signed, an event that brought together institutional representatives from the five historic regions producing fortified wines and which represents "a decisive step" in the collaboration between territories that share a millennia-old wine heritage and a common cultural identity around this type of wine.
These European regions of historic fortified wines thus strengthen their cultural and enological cooperation and ratify the universal value of the culture of the vine and wine as tools for relationship, dialogue, and collaboration between territories.
Last day of Vinoble
The International Fair of Noble, Generous, and Liqueur Wines, Vinoble, faces its closing day at the El Alcázar venue.
During Saturday and Sunday, the exhibition areas and the space dedicated to enogastronomy in the Patio de El Molino have registered intense activity, with tastings and offerings in which the public has been able to enjoy a program with prominent names such as Javier Muñoz of La Carboná, Juanlu Fernández of Lu, Cocina y Alma, Israel Ramos of Mantúa, or wine specialists Juancho Asenjo or Sara Jane Evans, among others.
As a closing to the weekend, the Claustros de Santo Domingo hosted a paired tasting featuring sommelier Juan Ruiz de Henestrosa, along with Iván Llanza of Fundación Osbone, in which around 180 attendees were able to taste a menu of Cadiz dishes harmonized with wines from the Marco, Portugal, and Malaga.
On this last day, Vinoble proposes in its tasting program a tour of the UNESCO Mediterranean Fortified Wines, a look at the new family of French oxidative wines, or a tribute to the work of Jerez foremen as guardians of the treasure, among other activities.
Furthermore, in the Patio del Molino, Jerez wines and vinegars applied to cooking, Riofrio caviar, or the gastronomy of Los Alcornocales Natural Park will play a central role, as some of the enogastronomic experiences offered on this last day of Vinoble 2026.