Why are 12 grapes taken in New Year’s Eve?
As in many traditions, the origin is not entirely clear. Although this is a relatively recent custom. In this post we tell you in detail.
A first theory argues that already in the last decades of the nineteenth century many Spanish families of the aristocracy, influenced by their French counterparts, were in the habit of organizing private gatherings at the end of the year in which champagne and grapes were served. These grapes were not eaten according to tradition, and apparently only served to accompany the frothy.
In 1882 some people of Madrid are pissed off because of a municipal faction promulgated by the then mayor, José Abascal y Carredano. In this municipal letter criticized and sanctioned some loud and loud activities of locals registered during the holiday season.
The 12 grapes would appear as a contestation act.
To protest the content of this party, the people of Madrid decided to go out into the streets and, taking as the opposite end of their situation the allowed feasts of the aristocracy, they chose to eat grapes in the present Puerta del Sol. New Year’s grapes spread and the newspapers pick up this new tradition on their rotary, something that would certainly help their popularization.
There are journalistic chronicles who say that grape producers were already “promoting the grapes of luck” in 1898. Some 11 years later in 1909 this custom would be quite implanted, and would have a final push, when in that new year, due to A harvest surplus in the Vinalopó Valley, Aledo variety was distributed in many regions of Spain to celebrate the arrival of the new year.
Aledo variety, the most “wintry” of grapes.
Whether or not the origin of this tradition is true, the truth is that the information fits, since the late maturation of the Aledo variety allows it to be collected during the last months of the year. It is perhaps for this reason that it has become the fruit that accompanies us when we leave the year. More than two million kilos of grapes are distributed throughout the Spanish geography to enjoy that night and the later winter months of an exquisite summer fruit.
GRAPES OF THE VALLEY OF ASPE S.L, Vinalopó table grape exporters.
Our company is a producer, trader and exporter of Vinalopó table grapes, a variety recognized and cataloged as a product with Denomination of Origin by the Regulatory Council of Protected Designation of Origin (CRDOP) Vinalopó Pocket Grape.
For over 40 years we have been growing Vinalopó bagged table grapes, and for years we have been selling it both inside the national territory and in other countries such as Germany, Italy, France, England or Canada.
We put our different grape varieties available to distributors, wholesalers, exporting or importing companies, supermarket chains or stores. We mainly work with the Aledo variety, although we also cultivate and market the Red Globe, Doña María, Napoleón and Italia varieties.
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