Rioja’s Ramón Bilbao launches ‘Spanish Wine Master’ competition

By James Bayley

Published: 18 April, 2023

In a bid to promote Spanish wine in this country, Rioja’s Ramón Bilbao has launched a competition, aimed at WSET Level 3 (and above), to find the UK’s ‘Spanish Wine Master’.

Launching this month, the contest takes entrants from a timed online qualifying quiz right through to an in-person final in front of judges this summer, via an online tasting challenge. The overall winner will take home a cash prize and the opportunity to make their own wine in partnership with the Ramón Bilbao technical team.

The Spanish Wine Master is open to anyone who works in the UK trade – independent merchants, sommeliers, consultants, bartenders, educators and writers.

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Entrants are also offered information and training at spanishwineacademy.com, and the competition questions will be run by Elisa Errea, founder and director of The Wine Studio.

Ramón Bilbao head winemaker Rodolfo Bastida said: “Our mission is to help our industry discover the distinctive, excellent styles from the different DOs of Spain so we take people on a detailed journey into the viticultural and vinification techniques, plus the geography and topography, behind some of our country’s top wines. If you know even a bit about Spanish wine and want to know more, this is the competition for you.”

Bastida has led the team at Ramón Bilbao since 1999 and will take his place as head judge with fellow winemaker Rosana Lisa and renowned Spanish wine expert Sarah Jane Evans MW.

The judges will oversee the at-home semi-final, where contestants will be tested on five different wines from Ramón Bilbao and other leading producers, before the live final in London this summer.

Entries are now open at spanishwinemaster.com – for more information, visit stand B60 at this year’s London Wine Fair.

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