“Vi per Vida” prepares its 4th wine-tasting event in support of cancer research at IRB Barcelona

The charity organisation “Vi per Vida”, headed by the Catalan  sommelier Xavier Ayala, is preparing its 4th wine-tasting event in support of research into cancer and metastasis conducted at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). After the previous three events, held in Mollerussa (May 2014), Calella (November 2014), and Llorenç del Penedès (May 2015 during the “Mostra de Vins i Caves”), “Vi per Vida” is organising a new gathering in Mollerussa, the capital of the Pla d’Urgell and Ayala’s home town.

This event, which will last an hour and a half, will be held at 18h on Saturday 23 May in the “Pavelló Firal” and will be led by Xavier Ayala himself and the journalist Elisabet Carnicé. The charity expects to bring together 500 people who wish to taste Catalan wines and who are sensitive to research into cancer and metastasis. The dissemination of tumour cells from a primary tumour to distant organs is the main challenge faced by oncologists in the fight against cancer, as metastases cause 90% of deaths from this disease. Scientists at IRB Barcelona are carrying out around 50 research projects in this field and the institute has a specific research programme devoted to oncology. “We are very grateful to “Vi per Vida” for their support and we congratulate Xavi for the events he is organising and for his initiative and spirit,” says Joan Guinovart, director of IRB Barcelona.

“Vi per Vida” has rallied more than 850 members of the public, 25 organisations, and many figures from various fields for its wine-tasting events. This fourth gathering is also supported by Mollerussa Comercial, the business association of Mollerussa, through which 15 stores are selling tickets for the event, each costing 5 €. Tickets can also be purchased through a wine-specialized website www.enoticket.com (5.50€).

The following six wines will be tasted in Mollerussa: white wines—Habitat Blanc (Torres), Petit Saó Blanc (Mas Blanc i Jové) and Sumoll (Vinyes d’Albà); and red wines—Vilosell (Tomàs Cusiné), Les Creus (Costers del Sió) and Roble (Vinya Els Vilars). The wineries will each provide 42 bottles for the event.

Moreover, personalities from various fields have given their support to this initiative through promotional videos involving comedians such as Bruno Oro (Polònia, TV3), Oriol Cruz (Crackòvia, TV3), Óscar Perezdolz (collaborator in the radio programme Fricandó Matiner on Rac105) and Carles Gómez (lead singer of the band Lexu’s, among others.