Raising the bar: Spain’s women sommeliers take the lead -and the podium

The role of female sommeliers in Spain has taken a significant leap forward with the results of the recent national championship. Marta Cortizas (on the left), from the three-Michelin star restaurant El Celler de Can Roca (Girona), won first place, while Anna Casabona (on the right), sommelier and educator at the Penedès winery Juvé & Camps, secured second.

Cortizas, 33, becomes the third woman to win the title, following Henar Puente in 2004, and Pilar Cavero -now a wine critic for the daily ABC-, who won in 2013 while working at El Celler de Can Roca. Never before, however, have two women taken the top two spots .

Held in Madrid last April as part of the Salón de Gourmets food and wine fair, the competition also marked a turning point in both its format and direction.

A time of changes

Improving training, raising the standard of Spanish sommeliers and earning international recognition are the main goals of the organisation behind the competition. Just over a year ago, the recently renamed UES (Unión Española de Sumilleres; formerly UAES - Unión de Asociaciones Españolas de Sumilleres) appointed a dynamic new board, led by Rafael Bellido, president of the Andalusian Federation of Sommelier Associations. The change in direction was evident last year when Seville hosted the 2024 edition of the ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) Bootcamp for Europe, Africa and the Middle East -a demanding three-day training programme of masterclasses, workshops and tastings led by top sommeliers, including current world champion Raimonds Tomsons, of Latvia.

This international perspective continued into the latest national championship. The theory test included questions with a more global focus, and participants could earn extra points by completing it in English. These changes were introduced by a new Technical Committee, featuring former winners such as Josep Pelegrin, Ferran Vila, Jon Andoni Rementeria, Manuel Jiménez, Álex Pardo and the experienced Henar Puente. The committee's director, Carles Aymerich, was one of the 12 best sommeliers at the 2010 world championship held in Santiago de Chile.

Diego Alfonso Tornel, the 37-year-old sommelier at the Hotel Paradisus Gran Canaria by Meliá (Canary Islands), who was third in this year's competition, welcomes the changes. With extensive experience across the culinary and wine sectors in Europe and Asia, this was his third time competing -and his favourite so far. "I found it much more fun than in previous years; the unexpected challenges kept us on our toes. They pushed us to improvise, which requires greater focus."

Two generation of female sommeliers 

Tornel (pictured below) had competed alongside Marta and Anna in previous competitions and was proud to share the podium with them this time and see a woman at the top. "There is more camaraderie than rivalry between us. Sharing experiences helps us all grow," he points out.

Women are gradually gaining ground in the profession. The new UES board includes Anna Vicens, president of the Catalan Sommeliers since 2016, as vice-president, and Cristina Osuna, winemaker at Toro Albalá, as vice-secretary. Vicens is the first woman to lead the association in Catalonia, the largest in Spain with 673 members, 232 of whom are women. Before the new board’s appointment, Vicens says, the idea of a woman representing the national sommelier organisation had never even been considered. "We need to bring fresh perspectives to drive change. Not because we are women, but because we are qualified professionals. The problem is, we simply haven’t been given the opportunity. Now we can prove that we have the will, the judgement, the vision -and we are not afraid of change. We need good professionals, regardless of gender, to give voice, visibility and value to our profession. And perhaps women are more pragmatic and determined, less driven by ego," she adds.

By showcasing two generations of female talent, this year’s championship was a perfect reflection of the growing presence of women in Spanish wine. While Anna Casabona represents resilience and experience, Marta Cortizas brings the enthusiasm, drive and consistency of a new wave of young sommeliers making their mark.

Born in A Coruña (Galicia), Cortizas initially pursued her passions in art, dance and theatre. But it was her partner, a professional chef, who encouraged her to study at INGAVI (Instituto Galego do Viño) and train as a sommelier. "From day one, I knew this was for me. I love studying, and wine is all about geography, history, climate, soil, grape varieties… I've always had strong sensory awareness," she explains. 

Top of her class, she joined El Celler de Can Roca in 2021 as an intern and found a great mentor in Josep 'Pitu' Roca. "I had never considered competing -I’ve always been competitive with myself, not others. But Josep convinced me that this was a good way to continue learning and growing."

Things couldn't have gone better for her. In her first competition, the 2023 Catalan Sommelier Championship, she was third. A year later, she won the title. Her favourite part of the competition is the practical test, which she compares to performance art. "It demands improvisation. I get to move around, interact with people and take care of them." Cortizas also appreciates the contrast between structured studies -she holds the Court of Master Sommeliers certificate and is on the waiting list for the Advanced course, which she knows she will pass if she masters the content, and competitions, which are much more open and have no fixed rules.

At 53, Anna Casabona offers a picture of consistency. Since her first competition -the 2017 Catalan Sommelier Championship, where she finished third and qualified for the national competition- she has never been far from the top. She has achieved six consecutive second places in the Catalan championship, two third-place rankings in the national contest, in 2022 and 2024, and now a second place. She is happy to be a solid runner-up.

Casabona believes her background in oenology has been instrumental. When she graduated in 1992, job prospects in Spain were limited and there were far fewer wineries, so she started a catering business with her sister. That venture sparked a growing interest in wine service. "What drew me in was the communicative side of the business: interacting with people, sharing wines and knowledge. The sommelier is a bridge between wineries and consumers, and I feel very comfortable in that role." She is an advocate for sommeliers working outside fine dining, whether in wine shops, distribution companies or wineries. In her opinion, the most important development in recent years is that "sommeliers in Spain are becoming better trained."

Pride, models and mentors

She has also witnessed the steady rise in the number of women entering the profession. "I used to be almost the only woman in competitions. Now it is great to see, at least in Catalonia, that we are close to parity. And I see more and more women in prominent positions elsewhere too," she notes. Still, as a seasoned professional, she recognises the challenges: "We have to be very good to stand out."

Cortizas has encountered all sort of experiences. “Among colleagues, I don't see any differences, and that makes me happy," she says. Yet there are moments when guests think she's a waitress and ask her to call the sommelier. Even so, she keeps her focus on what lies ahead: "What I have achieved hasn’t necessarily been the result of wider social changes, but of personal growth: knowing how to set limits, being proud to be a woman and believing in myself. It's nice to be here and to see that more of us are making our way," she says.

She also emphasises the importance of role models. “There’s no one like Anna Casabona,” she says. “And Audrey Doré -she inspired me and was a real role model; everyone respects her." Doré, the first woman to win the Catalan Sommelier Championship, previously led the wine team at El Celler de Can Roca and now heads Bar Vii in Girona. "A few days ago, Pascaline Lepeltier was in the restaurant and gave me a huge boost. She reminded me that you really can achieve anything you set your mind to. And I am starting to understand the value of my own achievements, because they might inspire other young women who work as sommeliers and who may never consider entering a competition".

Both Cortizas and Casabona praise the high standard of sommeliers in Catalonia. Cortizas points to the work of the Sommelier Association and the special energy it brings to the profession. Casabona highlights "the many hospitality schools offering training, and the influence of someone like Josep Roca, who has played a huge part in shaping the high level of sommeliers working with him". Anna Vicens agrees: "Pitu Roca is a school in himself. He always tries to ensure that one or two members of his team take part in championships. Other top restaurants should follow his example and send their sommeliers too so they can take their place on the podium."

As for Spain’s new national champion, her ambitions are perfectly aligned with the UES's renewed vision: “I want to take the necessary steps towards the European and World Championships. I'm not in a hurry; I want to enjoy the journey and experience all the wonderful things that come with it.”