By Jay Amberg Bloomberg Lifestyles.Mon, 19 Mar 2001.Bloomberg.com
Havana, March 15 -- The Vinexsa company, which deals in red wines from the
vineyards of Estremadura in Spain, expects to increase its presence in Cuba,
according to a report in Granma, Cuba's state newspaper.
The company has been selling its grapes to other winemakers and is now
producing its own wines, Luis Merino, the firm's export director, said.
Its plan to sell wines in Cuba would "help revive a tradition of
drinking fine wines that we know Cubans understand how to appreciate,'' Merino
said.
Vinexsa is a family company that has more than 1 million hectares of
vineyards in the Tierra de Barros region and three bodegas where the wine is
made.
One uses American oak casks, while the other two use stainless steel
barrels.
Merino said the company exports its product to more than 40 countries and
its label is already "well established'' in the Dominican Republic and
Puerto Rico.
He said the Cuban economy's development and the growth in the tourism
industry inspired the company to participate in the island's market. Vinexsa
signed sales contracts with Cuba at the recent Havana Trade Fair.
Cuban Culinary Association Celebrates 20 Years of Creation
By Jay Amberg Bloomberg Lifestyles
Havana, March 16 -- Cuba's Culinary Association is celebrating its 20th
birthday, according to Granma, the state's newspaper.
The association was formed to raise the image of the chef and to promote
Cuban cuisine in Havana hotel restaurants.
"Today, Cuban cuisine reigns in our tourist industry and is appreciated
by our visitors,'' the association reported.
"One of its more specific benefits is that it has become one of the
main generators of foreign exchange on the island. At the same time, it's
expanding fast in foreign markets, becoming an exportable merchandise that we
hope will soon be one of the biggest,'' the group said.
The association reported it was involved in programs to train and retrain
chefs, offer social assistance for chefs through the network of Chef Houses
installed in some districts, teach culinary ethics and offer advice to any group
holding a gastronomic event.
©2001 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. | 