This advertising content was produced in collaboration with our partner, Ramón Bilbao.
In the historical heartland of Rioja, Ramón Bilbao has never accepted the status quo. Instead, fueled by curiosity, the estate has continuously tweaked and evaluated its approach to transmitting Spain’s legendary terroirs to the glass. In celebration of the brand’s 100th anniversary this year, Ramón Bilbao’s educational project, the Spanish Wine Academy, is building on a legacy of firsts by hosting its Spanish Wine Master competition in New York City.
Renamed for the centenary anniversary to Spanish Wine Master x 100 Years, registration for this one-of-a-kind event is open until March 15, 2024, and all wine professionals are encouraged to enroll. Each round of advanced-level competition will narrow the field of participants, culminating in the Spanish Wine Master x 100 Years final. The U.S. winner will receive the grand cash prize of $5,000 USD, the official title of U.S. Spanish Wine Master, and an invitation to join the grand finale in Rioja in October. There, the six winners from participating countries—U.S., U.K., Spain, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Mexico—will compete for the title of World Spanish Wine Master.
The only contest of its kind, Spanish Wine Master x 100 Years is a natural extension of Ramón Bilbao’s curiosity-focused approach to wine. Inspired to showcase their terroirs, the brand’s technical team continues to recalibrate their approach with a range of modern techniques. Chief winemaker Rodolfa Bastida, for example, led Ramón Bilbao’s efforts to reduce their oak use within Rioja’s traditional aging criteria to create fruit-forward, contemporary wines in which the purity of the fruit is highlighted. By utilizing soft-toasted, premium oak barrels to age wines for a maximum of five years, Ramón Bilbao’s wines underscore the personality of each site in their traditional blends while their single-site Lalomba wines deftly highlight the potential of exceptional Spanish vineyards in a modern format.
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With over 600 acres under vine, Ramón Bilbao has a vast range of terroirs at its disposal. Ranging from 250 to 750 meters of elevation, their sites are living proof of the potential for innovation and sustainability in Spanish wine. By integrating technology—like renewable energy sources and pheromone diffusers that reduce pests—to collaborate with nature, their estate vineyards exemplify sustainability in action across Rioja Alta, Rioja Oriental, and Rueda. Ramón Bilbao was likewise the first Spanish winery to obtain the Wineries for Climate Protection certificate and is a member of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA).
Ramón Bilbao’s Spanish Wine Academy emerged as a natural offshoot of the brand’s innovative ethos, and the Spanish Wine Master x 100 Years competition represents the pinnacle of the brand’s experiences. The 100th anniversary rendition of the competition is a dynamic opportunity to discover, learn, and build community with an original Rioja estate.
To learn more and register for the Spanish Wine Master x 100 Years competition, click here.
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