Anyone who has tried to track down a particular wine knows how difficult and frustrating it can be to find it, and to give the possible sellers the exact information they need. Bar-codes by-and-large only function at store check-outs to provide the price.

The new generation of smarter codes is fast establishing itself in the form of the QR (for Quick Response) or Bi-dimensional Code. There can be few products where this is as needed as wine, where there is such an enormous quantity and diversity of production, and where there is a new and different load sent out by every producer every year to join what is already out there.

One of our favourite wine websites, Adegga, is pushing the concept, along with other forward thinkers, of Dynamic Wine Labels incorporating a QR. They call this universal identifier the AVIN, and add it to every wine that is logged on their website. The idea is that soon, when you come across a wine with a label that has a QR, you can take a snapshot of this with your mobile phone to access a whole load of additional information about the wine.

There are similar developments going on in the book sector also. In Spain, Grupo Biblo publish among other things city guidebooks with a QR graphic on the back, that they call a Bidi (for “bidimensional”) code. Naturally they call this service bidimobile. When you snapshot this you get additional and updated info on the city. So, the technology is there (as always it is far more developed in Japan, apparently).

I suspect that in years to come we will wonder how we ever managed without the wine AVIN. I’m also confident that it will be a lot more fun to access the products and information offered by Adegga than to go into a branch of WHSmith in search of an interesting book.

We have already included the AVIN numbers to our wines and from now on we will also add the QR Codes to the wine profiles on the Vino Valencia website.

The wines are organic and at the core of the bodega’s wines is the classic local variety, Monastrell. However, they have also planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Syrah and most recently the exciting hybrid Marselan.

Similarly, the old bodega sits alongside a recently built new wing, which incorporates the last word in winemaking techniques and technology, but also has a wonderful visitors centre with windows looking out in every direction to the spectacular surrounding countryside.

The latest wine from Los Frailes, MOMA (from MOnastrell and MArselan) launched in 2008, has been a great critical success, joining the well-established Trilogía (Monastrell, Cabernet, Sauvignon and Tempranillo) and Bilogía (Monastrell and Tempranillo), and the efe (“f”) range of well-made red and rosado wines and the amazing sweet After 3, all Monastrell.

As I’ve done before and will do again, I urge you to go up to the Vall d’Albaida and Els Alforins. I’m sure Miguel and his wines will entice you to do so.

Details:
Name Winery: Bodegas Los Frailes
Address: Casa Los Frailes s/n, Fontanars dels Alforins, 46635, Valencia
Telephone: +34 965 339 845
URL: www.bodegaslosfrailes.com

[original article published on Vino Valencia]