According to Dictionary.com a Wiki is defined as:
A collaborative website whose content can be edited by anyone who has access to it.
Catavino.net’s definition of the Iberian Wine Wiki is as such:

A repository for our research into the grape varietals and regions of Spain and Portugal.

The main difference between both definitions is the lack of the word “collaborative” in ours. Currently we are choosing to keep this new Iberian Wine Wiki as a Catavino project, using the indexing behavior of Dokuwiki software to help us layout the information. We also want information to be accessible to anyone who wants to look at it. Now, we’re obviously no island unto ourselves, and we are very interested in people helping us to expand our Wiki, but for now, people with an interest must be approved and then invited to join. So please, if you’re interested and want to help out, do send us a note.

This idea originally stemmed from an issue we had a few weeks ago while writing up a summary of Spanish and Portuguese wines for a few external wine sites. As we were researching the exact number of grapes for each country, we came up with vastly different numbers. This wouldn’t matter much if there was only a small difference in numbers, but we’re talking differences for example of one site stating 300 and another stating 600 indigenous grapes in Portugal. As much as we are sympathetic that these varietals can be difficult to track down, categorize and sort out, to know which is a new varietal versus an alias, we feel this is basic information that we should attempt to put together in some coherent way. Consequently, we thought that …

Editor’s Note: Thanks so much Josh for giving us the rundown on a fun and quirky holiday tradition. Although we have never been in Cataluna during New Years, we plan on participating with our grapes in hand at the strike of 12 and invite you to join us as well wherever you are in the world! The fun and quirky customs that people all over the world have to celebrate the New Year are just a few of the little pleasures that we enjoy in the holiday season. Some may know that in Italy on New Year’s Eve there must be a plate of lentils and in Portugal they often enjoy dishes with Salt Cod to bring good luck in the New Year. In Spain, the special tradition is to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds as the clock bells mark the final twelve hours of the year!

All over Spain people celebrate the New Year with the family, glued to the T.V. waiting for a clock tower bell to ring 12 times. Everyone is closely following the instructions of the New Year’s program hosts as they discuss how they will eat their grapes. Some people spend a few extra minutes to remove the seeds or peel the sour skins off their good luck grapes. If you like, you can buy little tins with 12 seedless grapes peeled and glistening, ready to pack into your mouth at midnight. To me this is a really fun tradition as it’s always good for a few laughs and good natured bets as to who won’t be able to eat theirs in time.

So where does this tradition come from? The people who I asked here in Barcelona gave me variety of answers as to why grapes are eaten …