He American writer and journalist Edgar Allan Poeone of the universal masters of the short story, has just become, posthumously, «universal ambassador of Amontillado». The Brotherhood of Vine and Winea group that, since its founding in 1990, has demonstrated its commitment to the promotion and defense of the wines made in the zone Montilla–Morilesstaged the unique naming in the Casa Palop winery, a historic building located on Escuelas Street and which was part of the architectural complex of the Jesuit College of Montilla between the 16th and 18th centuries.
The tribute revolved around The barrel of amontilladohe popular story by Edgar Allan Poe written in 1846shortly before the beginning of his definitive decline and three years before his death under strange circumstances, at the age of 40.
The spirit of the writer
Now, the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe rests in a butt of Amontillado from the century-old winery located in the basement of Casa Palop. In this environment full of history and symbolism, an event of the Grand Chapter of the Brotherhood of Vine and Wine took place, in which the writer was honored by naming him “universal ambassador of Amontillado”, a type of wine universally called “for evolve spontaneously in the way that Montilla wines have done, at least three centuries before it was recognized and popularized by the Jerez winemakers,” explained agronomist Luis Navarro García.
The event featured the attendance of the majority of the brothersdressed in their medal and dark suit, acting as master of ceremonies José Antonio Ponferrada, member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Fine Letters and Noble Arts of Cordova.
Readings and conferences
After a welcome from agricultural technical engineer Juan Porterothe speaker proceeded to reading of the texts: a profile written by Ruben Dario of the life and work of Poe; a fragment of the work The cask of amontillado and another of the work Glories of Amontilladowhose authorship corresponds to José Ponferrada Gómez and to himself José Antonio Ponferrada. At the same time, the musical work sounded The cask of amontillado by Alan Parsons, as the background of the passages.
To conclude the readings, the writer, historian and bibliographer intervened José Antonio Cerezo Aranda, who recalled that, in principle, “Poe was buried without any tombstone, because the one that was ready fell apart.” For this reason, as detailed by the honorary director of the Manuel Ruiz Library Foundation Luke”they placed an elementary sandstone block with the brief inscription number 80 on it and it remained that way for many years.”
Opening a barrel
For this reason, it He proceeded to present to the audience a barrel of Amontillado that was more than a hundred years old. with the legend “80” and the indication of the date and the number of arrobas it contains, made by the renowned artist Antonio Martínez.
An American oak barrel in which, from now on, the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe will rest forever in memory of his universal oenological story.