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Under the premise of “assessing neither the Habano nor the wine, but the alliance”, the jurors of this blind tasting checked on 37 Rioja wines and handpicked half a dozen that better match with the Montecristo No. 2, a mild-to-strong habano, plus other six wines to be paired with the mild-to-smooth H. Upmann.
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Participants of the preliminary round agreed there are quite a lot of similarities between Cuban Habanos and Rioja wines: the two are grown out of the land and have to be tasted; they are naturally manufactured and they are made to be global.
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Lovely view of La Rioja, Spain.
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Women also enjoy Habanos. Anna Riera is the editor of the El Periódico de Cataluña’s cuisine supplement and a great Habano aficionado.

Both products are born from the land, are tasted, go through natural production processes and have the vocation of a global brand. What else we could ask for a perfect pairing?

This is the first time we see an alliance between Habanos, S.A. and a Spanish product, which had previously been done with malt whiskies, cognac, Cuban rums or Oporto wine.

450 professionals from sixty countries have been called to find the finest pairing among two Habanos and two Rioja wines, by blindly tasting both products to handpick the two winning wines in this harmony contest. 

There will be two phases within the framework of the 15th Habano Festival at the Cuban capital, between February 26 and March 2, to choose the best Rioja wine in each of the two competing categories, which is expected to become «a long-lasting pairing», as commented by Victor Pascual, chairman of Rioja Qualified Guarantee of Origin, who introduced the preliminary act held in Spain on January 17, 2013, along with the director of Strategic Marketing for Habanos, S.A., Jose Maria Lopez Inchaurbe.

Pascual pointed out that, among many other similarities, both products have «secure value». «People who knows us, always repeat», he assures. «These are two international brands that can make a perfect pairing; it’s going to be a slam-dunk». Two products that offer a delightful taste by merging the aromas and taste of Rioja wine with the puff of cigars that have been rolled by hand with Cuban natural tobacco.

The first stage of this tasting contest took place in Madrid with the participation of a jury made up of gastronomy experts and sommeliers, who love Habanos and were in charge of the first selection of 12 wines out of 36 wineries.

A sheet of paper that read «the Habano or the wine are not to be evaluated, the alliance is», was handed to the jury members that handpicked, out of 37 Rioja wines, the best six that blend in with the mild-to-strong Habano –specifically Montecristo No. 2–, and the same number of Rioja wines with the mild-to-soft H. Upmann. 

The preliminary session was blindly carried out, so the identity of Habanos was known at the end of the tasting sessions. The participants only knew that there were two pyramid vitolas, one from the mild-to-soft taste and the other one from the mild-to-strong.

The jury also included journalists Pepe Ribagorda and Sergio Sauca, along with the president of the National Federation of Sommeliers Associations, Pablo Martin; the president of the association in Madrid, Javier Gila; and Carlos Echapresto, vice president of the Sommelier Association in La Rioja. 

Likewise, the Industry and Presidency advisers of La Rioja Government, Javier Erro and Emilio del Rio, described the merge as a very important element for La Rioja community, and noted the close relation between Habanos and Altadis company, «which generated hundreds of jobs, one of the flag companies» in that Spanish territory.

Those who participated in the preliminary phase coincided to express that there are several similarities between Rioja wine and Cuban tobacco: both products are born from the land, are tasted, go through natural production processes and have the vocation to be a global brand. 

Lopez Inchaurbe said to be sure about the long-life of what he called «a historic brotherhood». 

This original initiative came from Habanos, S.A. and, within the framework of the 15th Festival, they will seal the novel alliance of their product (Protected Denomination of Origin) with a wine of natural fermentation, Rioja’s (Qualified Denomination of Origin)