How much do you know about Spanish wine?

Rioja’s Ramón Bilbao is taking its mission to teach the trade about Spanish wine a step further this year, with a global, professional competition to find the Spanish Wine Master.

Launching this month in the UK, the contest takes entrants from a timed online qualifying quiz right through to an inperson 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.

Ramón Bilbao has placed education at the forefront of its communication with the trade for several years, with its Spanish Wine Academy platform holding in-person and online events around the world since its launch in 2018.

The Spanish Wine Master is open to anyone who works in the UK trade –independent merchants, sommeliers, consultants, bartenders, educators and writers – and will be pitched at the equivalent of WSET Level 3 knowledge or above. Entrants are also offered information and training at spanishwineacademy.com.

“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,” explains head winemaker Rodolfo Bastida.

“If you know even a bit about Spanish wine, and want to know more, this is the competition for you.”

Rodolfo 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 and Master of Wine Sarah Jane Evans joining him.

They will sit in on the at-home semifinal, which will see contestants tested on five wines from Ramón Bilbao and other leading producers they are sent, and come to London this summer for the UK leg of the finals.

“We’re looking at people’s knowledge of facts and figures about Spanish wines, but also how they taste them,” adds Rodolfo. “The more you take part, the more you’ll learn. That’s at the heart of what we are trying to achieve.”

Entries are now open at spanishwinemaster.com.

Come to the Ramón Bilbao stand at the London Wine Fair (May 15-17, Stand B26) to find out more.