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Ramón Bilbao names its Spanish Wine Master

31 October 2024 By Michael Huband

Representing Spain, Alberto Ruffoni won the international competition, which sought out an ambassador for Spanish wine in Ramón Bilbao’s centenary year.

After a search that took more than a year and spanned three continents, Ramón Bilbao named its Spanish Wine Master yesterday. Alberto Ruffoni, representing Spain, took the prize, winning the prestigious title and €15,000.

He was one of six finalists who travelled to the Rioja winery for the grand final. Each had already won a national competition, with the other finalists representing Mexico, the UK, the US, the Dominican Republic and Columbia.

“I don’t know what to expect now” said Ruffoni on his win, “but it is a chance to represent Spain as an ambassador of Spanish wines and Spanish wine knowledge, and to present to the world our beautiful wines.”

An intense two day final

The finalists took to the stage twice over two days, with a live audience watching their every move. They were judged by some of the most knowledgeable experts in the field of Spanish wine: Rodolfo Bastida, chief winemaker at Ramón Bilbao; Beth Willard; Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW and Sarah Jane Evans MW.

The final asked the already decorated contestants to show world-beating knowledge of Spain’s wines.

“All of them showed a very deep knowledge of Spain’s wines and regions,” says Willard. “To win their respective national finals, they had to answer many questions which really tested their understanding of Spanish wine styles and the country’s many and varied terroirs. These questions only became more detailed and complicated in the international final.”

On the first day, the six finalists were challenged to identify the ‘odd one out’ in a blind tasting of four bottles. Presented with four wines, they had to identify one that did not share a region with the others, as well as identifying varieties and regions for each of the four.

In the second challenge, they took on Bastida at his own game, blending a wine to fit a specification for a state monopoly buyer. Armed with four wines, pipettes and their palates, they had just 20 minutes to craft a blend that fitted the organoleptic, regulatory and price requirements of the buyer.

The finalists blended a Rioja live on stage.

For the third task, all five of their senses were put to the test. They had to iderntify soils by touch, aromas by scent, flavours by taste, regions by sight and vineyard operations by sound.

From these three tasks, the six were whittled down to three, with Ruffoni, Edgar Portilla from Mexico and Kirsty Woodgate from the UK making it through to the final task. The trio were challenged to present an unknown wine to the judges, having just three minutes to assess it in advance. Ruffoni particularly impressed in correctly identifying the glass of Toro DO.

“It all came down to the final exercise”, explained Evans. “Alberto Ruffoni was clearly the winner: he covered all the points, analysed the wine correctly, explained it stylistically, without repeating himself or closing his way, speaking with fluency and confidence. He definitely deserved to win.”

Ambassadors to the world

Although Ruffoni triumphed overall, all six international finalists are now well placed to advocate for Spanish wine around the world.

They have already been given the opportunity to explore Rioja in minute detail by crafting their own wines at Ramón Bilbao’s winery. Guided by Rosana Lisa, the winemaker behind Ramón Bilbao’s single vineyard Lalomba range, they have crafted their own takes on Rioja terroir.

These wines have explored both Rioja tradition and the latest trends in winemaking. They include a Graciano focused blend, an oak-aged rosado, an orange wine and a Garnacha from Rioja Oriental.

However, the competition’s focus has stretched well beyond the region, with contestants expected to understand the entire Spanish wine industry. Like Ramón Bilbao, which in recent years has set up a satellite operation in Rueda and has a sister brand in Rías Baixas, the hunt for a Spanish Wine Master concerned more than just Rioja.

“We believe Spain holds one of the most diverse and exciting wine landscapes in the world,” said Bastida, “with a rich heritage and untapped potential that deserves to be known globally.”

“Ramón Bilbao has been committed to quality and innovation in winemaking for over a century,” he continued. “This commitment inspired us to create the Spanish Wine Master initiative, a competition dedicated to promoting the singularity of Spanish wine and educating people about what makes it so unique. Through this initiative, we aim to elevate Spain’s remarkable wine culture on the world stage and inspire greater appreciation for its diversity and authenticity.”