I Ipar Kutxa Prize for the professionalism in the treatment
Last May 27th, at the headquarters of Ipar Kutxa in Bilbao, the first Ipar Kutxa Prize for professionalism in the treatment of Txakoli de Bizkaia was presented. An initiative arising from the collaboration agreement established between Ipar Kutxa and the DO Txakoli de Bizkaia.
No one can doubt by now the high levels of quality that the txakoli of Biscay has reached, a product quality that yet in many instaces is not accompanied by a service that matches the quality that our txakoli deserves.
Mindful of this reality, the D.O. Regulatory Council of Txakoli de Bizkaia, sponsored by Ipar Kutxa, have decided to set up a prize that serves as a stimulus to the hospitality industry so that it showcases and serves the txakoli of Biscay with the dedication that it deserves. The savings bank, which was founded as a rural credit co-operative and holds shares in agrofood companies, reaffirming with this sponsorship its support to kick-satart and to renew Basque agriculture, within a philosophy of fustinable development of our natural environment. Ipar Kutxa is a financial institution with more than 155,000 customers and a sales network of 92 offices in the main areas of the Basque Autonomous Community.
The resentation act was attended by the Managing Director of Ipar Kutxa, Carlos Oses, and the technical secretary of the Regulatory Council Anton Txapartegi. Both agreed that good service is essential so that the txakoli of Biscay can fully express all its qualities.
The sommelier Patxi Zabala was in charge of closing the presentation with a practical demonstration of the aspects to be considered when providing a proper service of the Txakoli of Biscay.
Two sections: the bar and the table
This first edition will have two sections -the bar and the table- and all bars and restaurants in Biscay are eligible for the prize. A comprehensive survey of wine producers and distributors will allow us to select the twelve bars and four restaurants which obtained the greatest number of votes. These bars and restaurants will be the finalists and will be publicly announced in the first week of July. An adhesive sign will serve to identify the establishments selected to be eligible for that final prize.
From then on, and over three months, all bars and restaurants will be considered by a jury comprising of members of the wine tasting committee of the Regulatory Council and by professional and freelance sommeliers.
Aspects such as the range of choice, glassware, serving temperature and price-service ratio, will be taken into account by the jury when deciding the winners of this Ipar Kutxa Prize.
It will be a little while after the wine harvest, around October, when the names of the prizewinning establishments will be publicly announced and the award ceremony held.
The prize that accredits the winners in the categories of bar and table is an original trophy made from a printed metallic surface over which the crystal goblet is highlighted.
