In September 2^nd to 7^th, 2007, the city of San  Rafael will be the venue for the two events that will turn that city into the World Capital of Wine and Olive Oil when, at the Tower Inn hotel, the 4^th Wine Masters Challenge VINUS 2007 and the 1^st World Olive Oil Contest in Latin America will take place.

Hence, San Rafael will welcome international wine and olive oil judges as well as the most renowned national judges.  World prominent figures will come to the event, particularly, specialized journalist-enologists from Spain, Italy, Japan, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico and Central America, as well as distinguished national experts in both olive oil and wine.

In the case of San Juan, there will be guests like expert judges who have taken part of world events, at journalist level, and academic and business specialists in olive oil from San Juan, where olive growing is becoming more and more important together with the overwhelming advance of vine and wine.

Olivinus and Vinus are sponsored by the main entities of both sectors, and their aim is to enhance south Mendoza, one of the great Argentine viniculture and olive oil areas, given the importance that Argentina is acquiring in this activity, whose leader is the American continent.

With this aim, specific Universities, Research and Study Centers and the entities of the sector supporting this activity have been invited.

Epitomes of both sectors will preside the event, on which high there are high expectations with excellent possibilities.

The event has been declared Provincial, Legislative, Economic, Local and Tourist interest in Mendoza.

San Rafael and the southern area of Mendoza will in this way become one of the venues for permanent World Contests, since VINUS has moved its headquarters to San Rafael, where the effort of producers needs the visit of world experts reflecting the advance of the activity in the last decade.

Moreover, at the venue, there are wine samples from Salta, Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza, La Pampa, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Entre Rios, Argentina, as well as samples from Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Israel, South Africa, Mexico, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Hungary.

Within the areas that have already sent their olive oil samples, there are the provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Cordoba, San Juan and Mendoza as well as the countries of Chile, Uruguay, Israel, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Greece, and Turkey.  It is likely that oils from other Mediterranean oils will continue to arrive.

The honorary president of VINUS is the businessman Alberto Goyenechea, and the Committee of OLIVINUS (olive oils) will be constituted by the businessmen Claudio Andreani, Rodolfo Vargas Arizu, Hugo Avena and Coco Pisi.  The General Direction of the whole event will be in charge of Engineer Raúl Castellani, with the collaboration of Accountant Mariana Toledano and Enrique Américo Tittarelli.

Samples are arriving at Linier 160, Godoy Cruz, Mendoza, +54 (261) 4241991.  For any queries, go to www.funacionvinus.com.ar and www.olivinus.com.ar.