The four students stand out in their schools for having the best grades. For this reason,last July, the Chair of Agrotourism and Wine Tourism for the Canary Islands of the Canarian Institute of Agri-food Quality and the University of La Laguna, as a result of their work and efforts, offered them the opportunity to participate, together with professionals and technicians from the sector, in the first seminar to update wine tasters in the Canary Islands.
The deputy director of the Chair, Gabriel Santos García, explained that the average age of the students who are making the generational change in the wine sector in the archipelago is 44 years old. However, he adds that it does vary depending on the island where they reside. “Currently, there is a majority of men involved in the change, but not in significant numbers with respect to women. Both, together with oenologists, winemakers and winegrowers, are responsible for shaping the present and future of Canary Island wines”, adds Santos.
The common denominator: a passion for the sector
There are many factors that play a role at the moment of entering the world of wine. But, in this sense, they all have a common denominator and that is their passion for the sector. Highly trained sommeliers and winemakers insist that one of the fundamental requirements is the training of this new generation, as this will enable them to develop professionally.
For example, Daniel and Miguel, two of the students, have been able to contribute their creativity and authenticity to encourage a territorialized viticulture. In other words, virtues that can be used in the field and in the winery to obtain wines with their own personality and differentiating character. Verónica and Naoto, on the other hand, have decided to reinvent themselves by turning their hobby into a profession: specialized sommeliers focused mainly on being in constant training in order to keep up to date on trends and the growth of the sector, especially on how to promote the wine culture of the Canary Islands.
