It will be celebrated on the 15th and 16th of October in Santander in the Palacio de la Magdalena and in Hotel Santemar.
With the aim of supporting the professional sector, the C.R.D.O of Rueda has signed an agreement with the Union of Sommelier Associations in Spain (UAES) in which they have become the official sponsor of UAES and of the Best Sommelier in Spain Competition.
On the 15th and 16th of October, the meeting of wine-tasting professionals from throughout Spain will take place where, as well as sharing their knowledge and experience, 25 professional sommeliers, of which nine belong to the Association of Sommeliers of Castille and León, will be examined on their merits. They will have to sit a basic theory test with three finalists, who will then face 5 technical exams in product identification, tastings, pairings, menu correction and customer service, with the ultimate goal of achieving the title of “Best Sommelier in Spain” and becoming the national representative in international competitions.
Whilst the competition is going on, a series of activities will also take place, showcasing products, food and drink of Cantabria and the C.R will have an area for wine tasting and there they will be able to give you more information about the region, the characteristics…
The Designation of Origin of Rueda will also put on a Master Class to those aspiring to the title of Best Sommelier with the aim of furthering their knowledge of the region, its characteristics, its wines and the specificities of the Verdejo variety.
Training is fundamental and is the basis for the development of the professionals in the sector, in whose hands often lies the responsibility of making a good food choice, the wine-food pairing and the service of them both.
Another example of the importance of the C.R.D.O to the professional sector and their desire to spread wine culture in general with the aim that there are an ever increasing number of better trained professionals, is the sponsorship that they provide from the beginning for the Sommelier Course of the Chamber of Commerce in Madrid. These grants are made available to the Association of Sommeliers of Castille and León who suggest a student who merits the support. Amongst the recipients of the grant from the D.O. of Rueda you will find widely recognized professionals such as: Juan Antonio Herrero of the restaurant Lágrimas Negras (Hotel Silken), Henar Puente, Francisco Plaza, Antonio Calvillo…
Next Wednesday the inauguration of the new 2013-2014 course will take place, for which the C.R. has given a grant to a professional from Segovia of Bulgarian origin (Metodiyka Krumova Popova).