Cultures of Pitarra wine in Extremadura: A scorned cultural heritage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35588/bd4nhe17Keywords:
wine, cultural heritage, cultural landscape, patrimonializationAbstract
This article explores the dense cultural tradition of pitarra wine in Extremadura and the possibilities of delimiting it as part of the cultural heritage linked to this territory. Based on ethnographic fieldwork that includes interviews with consumers and analysis of discourses of various kinds carried out in 2024, the importance of the consumption of this type of wine for Extremadura's identity is discussed. Beyond reductionist positions that identify the dangers for health, its consumption refers to processes of identity cohesion, the creation of social networks, or the construction of the identity of rural Extremadura. The cultures of pitarra wine show a remarkable vitality, as shown by the various social practices surrounding its production and consumption, such as producers’ competitions, tasting experiences, or the incipient processes of gourmetisation. The wine-growing landscapes of pitarra wine show a path of wine patrimonialisation far removed from the exuberant vineyard landscapes that await tourists, but rather by claiming part of the rural identity of Extremadura.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Borja Rivero Jiménez, Lorenzo Mariano Juárez, Luis López-Lago Ortiz, David Conde Caballero
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