Spain's three billion litre wine lake
Spain's three billion litre wine lake
Mar 27, 2010 6
Strong euro and a drop in demand have plunged the industry into crisis. Alasdair Fotheringham reports from Gratallops. It's Saturday lunchtime in Granada, and by rights a decent wine bar such as El Ajo Blanco should be humming with satisfied customers downing a quiet glass of Rioja or maybe a lesser-known Somontano. But no. For a good 90 minutes the bar is completely deserted. A middle-aged woman bustles in, but she's not staying: all she wants is a bottle of wine as a present. "We've lost between 40 and 60 per cent of takings on wine," estimates the owner, Nicolas Fernandez Unica. "Since the recession started, things could not have got worse faster. Ten years ago people would start drinking wine at lunchtime and then stick around for a glass or two afterwards. They'd come in on Mondays and Tuesdays. Not any more."
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