This weekend's Lagoa Wine Show again was ruined by noise with a speaker system leaving exasperated exhibitors and a scattering of visitors shouting at each other and still not being heard.
The argument still rages over Lagoa council’s unilateral decision to call its area ‘The Capital of Wines,’ but as for the show, this third attempt was as poor as the previous two with organisers failing to listen to last year’s feedback and attempting to run a show at which nobody can be heard.
Up to 70 exhibitors booked space this year, a decision many of them now must be regretting, as the three day show at the soulless white elephant of the Arade Congress Center, in Parchal was at best, mediocre.
The 70 stands sold or given away was a number well down on the first year, 2015, when 125 producers were attracted to what was pitched as the Algarve’s premier wine show.
The year after, 2016, there were only 30 exhibitors, the conclusion being that many of this year’s stands may ahve been given away to get numbers up to 70.
With the Algarve wine commission already deeply irritated at Lagoa Council’s self-promotion as the unwarranted ‘Capital of Wines,’ to the point where it has scrapped several partnerships with the council, plus the folly of repeating last year’s dismal Wine Show with a carbon-copy edition this year, Lagoa Council’s self-awarded position as the leading wine municipality in the Algarve is in question.
The loud ‘folk music’ this year, as in others, drowned up any reasonable conversation between wine producers and members of the public.
One reader and visitor to the show complained that "yet again this show was ruined by a cacophony of unnecessary piped noise. I feel sorry for the stand-holders who could do litttle more than pour out samples and smile."
Another, regretted travelling from the Tavira area to "possibly the limpest show I have ever visited," with a third cheerfully stating that "some of the wines were good but conversation with the producers was impossible due to the noise level. This is a great shame as I did want to find out more background. I will just have to visit the growers individualy over time but had hoped to learn much more."
Local news service, Algarve24, visited on the Saturday and managed to converse with several exhibitors who said they are in serious doubt of going next year, noting one bright point: an exceptional selection of organic wines from the Algarve, Dão, Douro and up north in Vinho Verde country. www.theorganicwinecollection.com
This council run show needs a rethink but with an administration unable to hear feedback, let alone willing to act on it, the future does not look good, especially when continuing to push Lagoa as the ‘Capital of Wines’ - an inexcusable misnomer.
See also Algarve24: 'Lagoa Wine Show Headache'
