Celebrating Spanish Wine!

We’ve just had the great pleasure of working with our Rioja client, Ramón Bilbao, on the inaugural year of their global Spanish Wine Master competition.

Ramón Bilbao has long placed education at the forefront of its communication with the Trade, and we’ve worked on several Spanish Wine Academy sessions over the last few years. In 2023, things were taken up a notch and what a celebration of Spanish wine it was, involving Chief Winemaker Rodolfo Bastida, plus Rosana Lisa from his team, joining judging forces with Spanish specialists Sarah Jane Evans MW and Pedro Ballesteros MW.

After an online qualifying quiz (at around WSET Level 3 this was no walk in the park - so we hear 😊) and a ‘virtual’ semi-final, the Grand Final took place on 3rd July in the fabulous Thames Penthouse at Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square. To a background of awesome views across London, the ten candidates battled it out in an electrifying final hosted by our very own Rob Buckhaven. 

Congratulations to winner Kirsty Woodgate and everyone else in the line-up! And to all those who came to celebrate wines from Ramón Bilbao, Lalomba and Mar de Frades… Salud!