Petition launches for wine to be named Spain’s national drink

A GROUP of wine writers have launched a petition to have the tipple declared Spain’s national drink.

The Spanish Association of Wine Journalists and Writers (AEPEV) said on their Change.org page that wine was “inseparable” from Spanish culture at large.

The drink goes hand-in-hand with Spain’s cuisine, as well as its history, economy and society, AEPEV added.

“We Spaniards need to feel proud of our wine and what it represents. Wine is recognised as an integral cultural element of society.

“It is the drink that most appeals to enjoyment, freedom of choice, distinction, history and culture,” AEPEV said.

The association’s call comes as Argentina declared wine its national drink in 2013.

Spain is home to 13 per cent of the world’s vineyards, according to data from the International Organisation of Wine and Vine (OIV).

The country produced an estimated 3.5 billion litres of wine in 2017 according to the latest OIV data, about 13.6 per cent of the global total.