The Jury for the ENOMAQ and OLEOMAQ Excellence Awards met last Tuesday, December 17th, at the Zaragoza Trade Fair facilities to deliberate and select the winners in each category for the 2025 edition.

The ENOMAQ Jury, chaired by Mr. Fernando Bordejé Mugüerza, is composed of Mr. Ernesto Franco Aladrén, Mr. Juan Cacho Palomar, Ms. Inmaculada Sáez González, Mr. José Ignacio García López, Mr. Javier Ugarte Andreva, and Mr. Manuel María López-Alejandré.

The OLEOMAQ Jury is chaired by Mr. Juan Peñamil Alba and includes Ms. Susana Romera Arias, Mr. Juan Baseda Torruella, and Mr. Vicente Sanz Clemente.

In accordance with the award guidelines, which aim to recognize overall excellence and the best practices of wineries and olive oil mills, the jury announced its decision to award the ENOMAQ 2025 Excellence Award to Bodegas Emina and the OLEOMAQ 2025 Excellence Award to Aceitando Hermonos.

Bodegas Emina, which owns two wineries in two key Spanish designations of origin, Ribera del Duero and Rueda, stands out for its excellence in its processes, its dedication and care of the vineyards, its strong commitment to research, and its digitalization.

The Aceitando Hermonos olive oil mill, located in Calaceite, in the Matarraña region of Teruel province, prioritizes the creation of a top-quality extra virgin olive oil while protecting its environment by keeping its technical facilities underground. This has allowed them to preserve the olive and almond grove landscape so typical of the area. Under the guidance of Don Saeed Keshavarz and Don Javier Sánchez Padrós, both master millers with 20 years of experience, exceptional oils are produced that will soon be certified by IFS Food.

The ENOMAQ Jury also announced the winners of the ENOMAQ 2025 Winemaker Awards in the categories of Professional Career and Singular Wine.

In the Professional Career category, Dr. María Elena Batista Herrera and Agricultural Engineer Wenceslao Gil Durantez were joint winners.

Batista Herrera is a professional trained in chemical sciences, oenology, and viticulture who brings not only extensive knowledge but also versatility, having worked in different wine-growing regions of Spain. Her professional career highlights include participation in various INIA and FEDER projects, as well as her positions as head of quality, process, and R&D at different wineries.

Gil Durantez is a pioneering professional who has boosted the Toro Designation of Origin by establishing two of his own family wineries, which produce excellent wines. His career highlights include founding and serving as president of the Association of Winemakers of Castile and León, as well as co-founding the Spanish Federation of Winemakers Associations.

In the Singular Wine category, the award went to Paula Yago Aznar, CEO of Bodegas Tempore, for her Derechero wine, made from a pre-phylloxera grape variety, native and unique to Aragon. The vineyards are located in Muniesa, 20 km from Bodegas Tempore, and belong to the Bajo Aragón Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). In its production, every step of fermentation is carefully controlled, using only native yeasts and with minimal intervention at each stage of the process.

Finally, the OLEOMAQ Jury awarded Mr. Manuel Juan Caravaca Susi the 2025 OLEOMAQ Master of Olive Mill Award for his exemplary and multifaceted professional career. He is the founder and president of the Spanish Association of Master and Operator Olive Mills (AEMODA); a technician in the production of oils and fats with over 35 years of experience; co-author of five books on the olive oil sector; a trainer of master millers at the University of Jaén and at the Olive and Oil Interpretation Center in Úbeda; and a tutor for students completing their vocational training internships. He also advises several olive mills and has been a taster for 14 years on the CM Europe panel, accredited by ENAC.

The awards ceremony will take place on February 11, 2025, at the Zaragoza Trade Fair Auditorium during the 24th edition of the event. In addition to their recognition, the award winners will benefit from various promotional and visibility actions by ENOMAQ 2025.