Interview to Meritxell Falgueras, sommelier
With 20 years, went the youngest sommelier of Spain; to the 25, won the contest Nose of Young Gold Promise of Catalonia, and to the 29, the magazine Esquire appointed it better sommelier of 2010. Today, with 32 years, the journalist and sommelier Meritxell Falgueras finishes to edit the book ‘The wines of your life' (
Says that it is not a guide. What is ‘The wines of your life' then?
Is one no-guide! It is that a guide defines, marks with subjective parameters that they want to be objective. Maridan The wines with food, and I also do it sometimes, but likes me more combine it with music, art, people... And explain the anecdotes, the history that there is in each bottle... What does that a wine was different of another is not only his notes organolépticas but how does us feel!
And of where it arises this idyll with the wine?
Of my family. See the passion in the eyes of my father when it speaks of wine has done me see the life through the oenology.
In his book affirms that there is a wine for each situation. My father-in-law is Basque, demanding and of good eat and good drink. With which can impresses it?
Is snob? It is classical? You want to hesitate it? You want to that it can age it in his cellar?
Yes… to everything.
As a tinto of Rioja Alavesa like the Artadi Vineyard the Pisón goes him to love... But it will go out you a bit expensive the played.
Well, what advises for a first appointment?
The Serras of the Priorat, a wine extrovertido, with a lot of fruit and body, that will help you to undress the nerves.
Which prefers to make love?
Pink bubbles.
And to reconcile ?
To do the peaces, a good Pedro Ximénez, that endulza a moment bitter.
If I do not have win to work and am apathetic, what recommends me?
So that it inspire you? A good Riesling.
Any compatible with the sport?
Yes, the most versatile beer, Inédit of Damm, or a wine desalcoholizado like the Natureo of Torres.
Says that we are what drink and to me like me the wines tintos of the Bierzo, the ones of my earth. How I am?
Like the Mencía: ironingingic, with a very intelligent acidity and authentic.
And what would say of somebody to the one who does not like him the wine?
That maybe has not found his ideal wine.
fiaría?
Claro that yes, have abstemious friends... Although the man of my life is enólogo.
And thinks that, in general, understand of wines? It knows to distinguish the citizen of on foot a good wine of one mediocre or leaves carry by the fame, the container and the presentation?
The people knows what likes him and what no. The consumers are not mutilated sensory, know intuitivamente what will seat us well. Some leave carry by the visual phase but where has to give the size a wine is in the taste.
For meat, tinto; for fish, white. It is debatable?
Definitely, the wine is for the enjoy of our senses. If to you it likes you the white and want a meat, is totally viable. But it tries that the white was a chardonnay willingly and gone through barrel and that the meat was white. If with a shrimp take you a tinto with crianza, lose you the sutilidad of the shrimp and go back salty the wine. The maridajes, like the couples, have to “be” to add, never to subtract flavour. And, from there, that each one mount it to him as it want to.
Can drink good wine to low price?
Yes, there is big offers of wines that seat perfectly and that cost more than what cost.
There is life after the Rioja and the Bank of Duero. Which wines will hit in the near future? What will carry ?
The mencías are wines that adapt very well to the climatic change. The digs pink is very glamouroso and gives a lot of joy, and dig them big reservation are very versatile with the food. The garnachas are very gustosas and the white wines minerals offer an incredible chromatic range to the wines with body.
With which remains you? Which are his preferred?
Slopes of the Dried, D.Or. Alicante, by quality-price; Mauro, a wine of the earth of Castile and Leon, like a basic wardrobe, and The Fanio, a xarel•the of the Penedès bred in wrap, that can accompany a menu tasting.