Constanza Sanchez
The Master of Sommelier at the University of La Rioja will bring together the most outstanding Spanish sommeliers of 2025 on June 16 in Logroño. With the title ‘How do I prepare to be a sommelier? What they won’t tell you in books’, the event is aimed at both beginners and those who have been in the world of wine and hospitality for years.
The event will take place in the afternoon and will be led by Marta Cortizas, the current Champion of Spain Sommeliers 2025 and sommelier at El Celler de Can Roca (a restaurant with three Michelin stars), and Diego González, Best Sommelier of Spain 2025 and national representative at the World Sommelier Championship.
Chefe Paniego, co-director of the Master, stated that «the Rioja Culture Center will host an open, stimulating, and deeply necessary seminar: a day where the real implications of being a sommelier today will be discussed – beyond the books – and how education can make a difference.»
On the other hand, Elena González Fandos, director of the Master, highlighted «the great interest of the Master of Sommelier at the University of La Rioja for our region and for young people interested in training and specializing in sommelier, and in this seminar we will offer them a vision of what the Master can provide them.»
The presentation was attended by the rector of the University of La Rioja, Eva Sanz; the Minister of Education and Employment, Alberto Galiana, the deputy mayor of the City Council of Logroño, Leonor González; the professor at the University of La Rioja and director of the Master in Sommelier, Elena González Fandos; and the co-director of the Master in Sommelier, Chefe Paniego.
The event will begin at 5:00 p.m. with two young references who will share the journey that has led them to where they are today:
Marta Cortizas, current Champion of Spain Sommeliers 2025, sommelier at El Celler de Can Roca (*** Michelin), «an example of a young professional with a meteoric career built on education and demand,» as emphasized by the Master’s direction.
Diego González, Best Sommelier of Spain 2025 and national representative at the World Sommelier Championship, entrepreneur and trainer, with a modern and global view of the profession. Co-entrepreneur at the head of Tiempos Líquidos Wine Room. Next, both will join a round table discussion with the participation of top professionals:
Silvia García (Head Sommelier at the Hotel Mandarin Oriental Ritz in Madrid)
Iván Sánchez (Maître and Sommelier at the Restaurant Venta Moncalvillo (** Michelin)
The conversation will be moderated by Inma Bezunartea, tutor of the Master in Sommelier at the University of La Rioja. They will discuss what it means to work in sommelier today: from room management to emotional balance, leadership, constant learning, and the new demands of the sector. Afterwards, the team of the Master in Sommelier – director, co-directors, and tutor – will present the program, which stands out for its cross-cutting approach and connection with the current reality of the sector. The event will end with a relaxed space for questions and wine.
QUOTE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD, AND WINE ENTHUSIASTS
The event will be a key appointment for young people, professionals in the field, and wine enthusiasts, who will have the opportunity to learn all the details about the Master in Sommelier at the UR and the main opportunities that this promising professional field offers.
«This seminar is for you if you are thinking about training, if you already work as a sommelier and want to take a leap, if you are dedicated to hospitality and want to specialize, if you lead a gastronomic project, if you come from the world of wine, tourism, or restoration… or if you simply love this universe,» highlights Juanjo Figueroa, co-director of the Master.
The event on the 16th is also conceived as a meeting point between generations, between trajectories, between different but complementary visions of wine and its service. «Sommelier is constantly evolving,» says Mavi Balabanian, co-director of the Master, «young people come with force, but so do those who have been in the sector for years and know that learning never ends.»
Attendance is free upon registration and is aimed at active sommeliers, room professionals, hospitality and restaurant professionals, wineries, professionals in wine tourism and distribution, technicians and graduates in oenology, tourism, or humanities, young wine enthusiasts looking to start their careers, and also wine lovers.
