FAQs

The Spanish Wine Master is a global competition centered around knowledge of Spanish wine, organized by the Spanish Wine Academy from Bodegas Ramón Bilbao. A contest to demonstrate your knowledge and tasting skills.

With the slogan “How much do you know about Spanish wine?” Spanish Wine Master launches a challenge to the entire wine community. The Spanish Wine Master is a demanding competition whose mission is to find the true expert of the wines of Spain.

Spanish Wine Master consists of three successive stages that include tests of technical knowledge and wine culture as well as practical tastings. The first stage is universally accessible and takes place online. he second stage, or Semifinal, will take place in a hybrid format with a live streaming that contestants can connect to from their homes. Lastly, the Grand Finale will be held in person.

Spanish Wine Master is open to anyone of legal age with an interest in Spanish wine. Although all profiles are welcome, especially the professional segments, from sommeliers even journalists and critics; from hospitality professionals to distributors, importers and wine merchants. We also invite advanced amateurs who feel a true passion for knowledge and enjoyment of Spanish wine.

In the 2023 edition, there are four countries in which the competition takes place: Spain, United Kingdom, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. Each country has a Ramón Bilbao team that organizes its own national competition, with its own contestants and its own final prizes. The only thing that is common is the content of the initial stages: in all four countries, participants face the same tests, except in the Final.

The Spanish Wine Master jury is made up of our winemakers at Bodegas Ramon Bilbao, Chief Winemaker Rodolfo Bastida and Head of R&D as well as Lalomba, Rosana Lisa. Additionally the jury includes two internationally renowned experts: Sarah Jane Evans MW and Pedro Ballesteros MW.

In the remaining national chapters, those in charge of the Final in each country will decide the definitive configuration of their local jury.

In each of the phases of the competition we have devised highly demanding content, designed to contribute to the knowledge and prestige of the Spanish wine culture. We have been inspired by the contents and educational programs generated by a world reference organization such as Wine & Spirits Education Trust. The content and degree of difficulty of all the tests will be the same in each of the four countries, with the exception of the Grand Finale, which can vary by country depending on the local organizing team of Ramón Bilbao.

It’s as easy as going to www.spanishwinemaster.com and filling out the registration form. From the 30th of March 2023 until the 18th of May 2023, any registered person will be able to take the online test of the first stage. Remember that you will only have one opportunity once the 1st phase of the contest has begun and you will not be able to go back or repeat it at another time.

FIRST STAGE/REGISTRATION PERIOD: Registration and general test. From March 30 to May 18.

• This initial stage of the competition will be active from March 30 at 00:00 to May 18 at 23:59.
• After registering, each contestant will be able to access the first test: an online test of 50 questions. Once it has started, the contestant has 30 minutes to take the test, and will not be able to go back or start over, so it is important to choose a good time and place with secure internet connection to complete it.
• The number of correct answers and, to a lesser degree, the time spent answering the test will be valued.
• 50 semifinalists* will emerge from this stage.

SECOND STAGE. Semifinal. 5th June

• The second phase brings together the top 50 participants from the first stage. A few days before the event, each semifinalist will have received a box with five unlabeled samples of wine. On the day of the Semifinal at a previously arranged time they must connect via Google Meet to the Spanish Wine Master platform to start the test. First, a guided tasting from the set and another test of visual dexterity in order to test knowledge about Spanish wine.
• The presentation of the Semifinal, the supervision of the tasting, and the visual test will be led by Elisa Errea from a set designed for that purpose.
• The format and date of this Semifinal is common to all participating countries (although each country will hold its Semifinal at a different time, within the same June 5th).
• From this Phase 2, 10 finalists* will emerge.

THIRD PHASE. The Grand Finale. (Date varies by country)

• The last phase, the National Final, will be face-to-face in each participating country. In the UK the Grand Finale will be held on July 3rd. Each country will inform the finalists of the place and time where the event will be held. It will consist of a tasting test as well as other tests, among which the contestant will have to present before the full jury.This last phase will last a maximum of 90 minutes.
• The Final will result in a single winner of the Spanish Wine Master.

* The number of semifinalists and finalists corresponds to the Spanish chapter of Spanish Wine Master. In other participating countries, these numbers may vary, at the discretion of the local organizing teams.

Spanish wines of all styles, always high quality. The wines that are tasted may or may not include Bodegas Ramón Bilbao or other brands from Zamora Company- Bodegas Mar de Frades and Cruz de Alba. The wines may be white, rosés, reds, sparkling or fortified wines.

Each national chapter sets its own awards in relation to its circumstances and context. In the UK the winner of the Spanish Wine Master receives £3,000 as well as the opportunity to participate in the 2023 harvest and make a wine from the 2023 vintage at Bodegas Ramón Bilbao, supervised by Rodolfo Bastida and Rosana Lisa (with an approximate production of 500 bottles).

Read and taste, there is no other way. Specifically, we recommend assessing and reviewing the contents of the Spanish Wine Academy.