When Garnacha speaks of history (
Wine is no longer just served in a glass. Now it's conquering the kitchen too. In 2026, Spain will take another step in promoting its gastronomic culture with the celebration of the First National Cooking Competition with Wine, a pioneering competition that will make wine the true protagonist of signature cuisine.
The meeting will take place on October 27, 2026, within the framework of Gastronoma – Mediterranean Gastronomic Fair, thanks to the collaboration between the Association Spanish Association of Wine Journalists and Writers (AEPEV) and Gastrónoma. A project born with the aim of becoming a reference for chefs, wineries and gastronomy lovers.
For years we've talked about harmonies, pairings, and perfect combinations between wine and food. However, the National Wine Cooking Competition proposes to go one step further: using wine as the main ingredient in culinary preparation.
Reducing a sauce with an aged red wine, adding freshness with an aromatic white, or incorporating a fortified wine into a dessert are just some of the possibilities that wine offers in the kitchen. It's not just about adding flavor, but about bringing complexity, balance, and personality to each dish.
The competition aims to highlight this lesser-known aspect of wine: its ability to transform a recipe and become a creative element in haute cuisine. This isn't new. We've always cooked with wine, and our grandmothers' traditional recipes never forgot this ingredient, but the competition intends to take it to another level.
One of the most interesting aspects of the championship will be the participation of different Spanish wineries, whose wines will be part of the recipes prepared by the contestants.
It will be a magnificent opportunity to showcase the immense winemaking wealth of our country and demonstrate that each wine can inspire a distinct culinary experience. From the great aged reds of classic regions to Atlantic whites, sparkling wines, and fortified wines, the creative possibilities are practically endless. If there's one thing Spain's wine map offers, it's variety, typicity, and quality.
The grand final will bring together leading professionals from Spanish cuisine, who will have to convince a jury composed of chefs, food journalists and wine experts.
The judges will evaluate both culinary technique and creativity, and above all, the ability to integrate wine into the recipe in a coherent and prominent way. Because here, wine won't be a mere complement: it will be an essential part of the dish.
In addition to the prestige of participating in a national competition of this kind, the contest will award 10,000 euros in prizes, This is one of the largest prize purses of its kind in Spain. A real incentive not to miss the opportunity to participate in this first edition.
From Between the Vines We celebrate initiatives like this, which help to continue building a genuine wine culture. Because wine isn't just enjoyed at a tasting or around a table: it can also become a tool for creativity, innovation, and gastronomic expression.
This first National Wine Cooking Competition It opens a new stage in the relationship between cuisine and oenology, focusing on an aspect that has long remained in the background.
We will be closely following the publication of the rules and the development of the championship, convinced that it will be a magnificent opportunity to discover new ways of understanding wine… this time, from the kitchen.
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