Raúl Igual, best sommelier in Spain 2010 and 2021
«The red garnacha is that variety that puts us in value, our queen»
Where does your passion for wine come from?
I started studying at the Hospitality School in Teruel because I liked cooking and pastry, but there I discovered the part of the room, the treatment of the client and that is when I decided to do the service part. As for wine, it was something progressive, it started when I went to do an internship in Zalacaín. Custodio Zamarra introduced me to this world, he was a very close person, who marked me a lot since he immediately gave me the opportunity to do things and accompany him to tastings. Later, when I got more involved in the hotel industry, I realized that I had to delve deeper into wines, wineries, menu preparation, and I began to have contact with the Association of Sommeliers of Aragon. Suddenly one day a colleague calls me and tells me that in El Bulli they needed people to work with the sommeliers. That’s when I really discovered how beautiful this world is.
How has your learning been? Have you traveled a lot?
I have traveled, but much less than this world requires, I have studied a lot. I decided to present myself to the best sommelier in Spain in 2010 because I needed to be valued, and I had to study because people who know a lot go to that contest. I began to read everything there was and to have, and I went to London to prepare myself, the Master Sommelier. You start studying with a lot of motivation, tenacity, curiosity and desire to try to know everything.
A dream that you need to fulfill in the sector? Any project?
I want to travel. When you study wine regions, you put them in context and you manage to get to that place is when you really understand them. I would like to visit those places that I think I need. The Portuguese Douro catches my attention.
Raúl Igual needs no introduction, he is a simple person who inspires wine, knowledge, learning, effort and tenacity. Any small talk with him turns into a delicate wine class, of which you do not want to miss a single detail.
Since he won the award for Best Sommelier in Spain in 2010, the first Aragonese to achieve it, his recognition has been growing progressively, but before that, we must not forget his time in restaurants such as “Zalacaín” in Madrid, the “Enoteca Pinchiorri” in Florence or his years in the team of sommeliers at “El Bulli”.
In 2013, he represented Spain in the world sommeliers contest held in Tokyo, in 2015 this man from Teruel became part of the Aragonese Academy of Gastronomy, and a little later, he obtained the title “Advanced Sommelier” by The Court of Master Sommeliers in London. In 2021 he was awarded as the best sommelier in Spain at the International Wine Challege Merchant Awards. An inspiring career marked by his nobility and love for his land.
«I started reading everything there was and would be about wine and I went to London to prepare for the Master Sommelier. You start studying with a lot of motivation, tenacity, curiosity and desire to try to know everything»
What does Aragon taste like?
Aragón tastes of autochthonous varieties, Garnacha, Macabeo, Cariñena, unique varieties with their own personality depending on each area. Something that is precious, since someone trained is capable of differentiating a Garnacha bred in Cariñena, from another from Somontano, Borja or Calatayud. That ability to value these varieties of ours, but also to value them in the place where they grow, is fantastic.
What do you think of the wines of Aragon?
In Aragón they see us that we are there, but they do not know very well what we are doing. Perhaps what we were missing were people like Fernando Mora, Jorge Navascués, Norrel Robertson, people who in some way are positioning wines at astronomical levels and who are getting us to be identified outside our borders.
In Aragon until we are recognized outside, we do not recognize what we have here inside. When the wines of these people are recognized, among others because there are fantastic winemakers, that is when we will really realize what we have. Those of us who are involved in the world of wine know that we are doing well and that we have great potential.
An essential Aragonese variety
Without a doubt, garnacha is that variety that puts us in value. Although there are others such as Garnacha Blanca, Cariñena or Macabeo that we should not miss. But our queen is the Garnacha Tinta.
An Aragonese variety that is yet to be discovered
I am convinced that the Macabeo is going to give us great surprises. It is a variety that we already knew, but that will surprise us.
Challenge: define each one of the Denominations of Origin, and Protected Geographical Indications with a word.
- DOP Calatayud: minerality
- DOP Campo de Borja: fruit
- DOP Cariñena: potential and tradition
- DOP Somontano: elegance
- Vino de Pago Aylés: beauty, project and family
- IGP Bajo Aragón: peace
- IGP Ribera del Gállego-Cinco Villas: respect for nature
- IGP Ribera del Jiloca: unknown
- IGP Ribera del Queiles: seriousness
- IGP Valdejalón: a name, Fernando Mora
- IGP Valle del Cinca: authenticity (many are cool)
«Aragón tastes of native varieties, Garnacha, Macabeo, Cariñena, unique varieties with their own personality depending on each area»
«In Aragón, until we are recognized outside, we do not recognize what we have inside»
Is there good foundations in Aragon?
The liquid part (cocktails, barista, sommelier, etc.) has to be developed and recognized. There are very good people behind it, but social recognition is lacking. The kitchen needs the room for a complete development, therefore, we need that people.
That’s why I think that with the next generation there will be a change, they still don’t know it but they will be the ones who value the room..
What advice do you give your students?
I always tell my students that this is a very nice profession, that allows them to grow a lot on a personal and professional level, but that not everyone is good enough to be a waiter or a sommelier. The more you know and study, the more you enjoy and make people enjoy, that’s why they have to learn to appreciate and value their work.
When you understand that being a waiter is something worthwhile, that it is a beautiful profession and that you can grow in it, that is when you reach that level of understanding of being a waiter. I consider sommelier as an art.
“They have to feel proud to be waiters, because being a waiter in capital letters is a beautiful profession.”
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«The liquid part (cocktails, barista, sommelier, etc.) has to be developed and recognized. There are very good people behind it, but social recognition is lacking. The kitchen needs the room for a complete development, therefore, we need that people»
A year ago, with the arrival of the pandemic and the total closure of non-essential establishments, Raúl Igual had to close his restaurant, Yain. In his cellar he kept numerous wines already opened, which he wanted to release and share with other people.
At a time when all activity was stopped, he decided to continue doing what he did on a daily basis: sharing the benefits and peculiarities of each wine, but this time at home and in front of a screen.
Thus, he began to upload small informative tastings of around 5 minutes to his social networks, in which he also told about the project behind each bottle.
As the weeks passed, Raúl received bottles from friendly wineries, who followed his tastings and wanted to collaborate with this action. So the sommelier, after completing the online tasting, shared the remaining wine with his neighbors. He left a bottle at the door of each one of them and then they stayed on the balcony to toast. Remember these days as very beautiful moments in which wine became the union of the community.
An initiative with multiple objectives since, in addition to entertaining his followers, for him it meant having 10 minutes of disconnection a day and enjoying his passion. But also, he wanted to collaborate with those establishments where sales had fallen and open a new channel where he could value his wines .