“The most important thing is to convey passion and love for wine to the customer through empathy, courtesy, respect and, above all, humility.”
David Paredes, sommelier at Mesón las Duelas.
Editorial note: an archive interview from Winerim. Roles, distinctions, professional relationships, relative dates, wine recommendations and assessments belong to the original publication, not to a new verification of current facts. Personal advice and product experiences are historical testimony, not guaranteed outcomes.
In its Sommelier Corner section, the original article introduced David Paredes, sommelier at Mesón las Duelas and one of Spain's 100 best sommeliers according to the prestigious Top 100 Sommeliers competition, as an interviewee it was honoured to welcome.
David Paredes, described as one of the leading sommeliers on the Spanish scene, had first become interested in wine more than 15 years earlier, initially as a customer at Mesón Las Duelas in Algeciras, where he was head of the restaurant floor at the time of publication. It was there, guided by owner Alberto Meléndez, that he began a journey that would make him a reference in the sector. His real passion for wine grew during his professional experience at Quilla Sotogrande, where he shared inspiring moments with colleagues who introduced him to the world of great international wines.
David stood out for his ability to convey passion and knowledge about wine with empathy and humility, qualities he considered essential for any sommelier. His approach focused on understanding customers' tastes so that he could recommend their perfect wine.
In this interview, we explore his wine philosophy, his recommendations for exceptional wines and his advice for wine lovers, while the original article described him continuing to establish Mesón Las Duelas as a gastronomic reference in the region. Join us in discovering his vision and his passion for this art.
1. When Did Your Interest in Wine Begin?
As a customer, about 15 years before the interview, at the restaurant where I was working at the time, Mesón Las Duelas. I remember Alberto, its owner, guiding me and recommending wines from the Cádiz area and fortified wines. Professionally, it was in my previous job at Quilla Sotogrande, alongside Urbano. I remember summer visits from my friend Javi Usarralde, arriving laden with gems: old Chablis and Champagne, classic Riojas... And I thought, “This is just too good.”
2. What Qualities Should a Good Sommelier Have?
The most important thing is to convey passion and love for wine to the customer through empathy, courtesy, respect and, above all, humility.
Another important point is to understand the customer and their tastes, then recommend the perfect wine for them.
3. What Is the Most Unusual Place Where You Have Organised or Attended a Wine Tasting?
I had recently attended one organised by Bodegas Roda at Hotel Fuerte in Marbella, right on the beach. They opened magnum bottles of Roda white wine, of 3 and 6 litres, at sunset, together with colleagues from the industry... It was magical.
Editorial note: the original uses “magnum” and specifies 3 and 6 L. That wording is retained without inferring an additional bottle size or independently verifying the format terminology.
4. What Are the Trends in the Sommelier Profession?
At that time, I thought the focus was on innovation, caring for the vineyard, the famous “terroir”, doing something different that can surprise you and telling a story through each wine. That is what makes this world wonderful.
Whether it has been made in a 16th-century winepress, as Bodegas Casa Lebai does, in clay, or with grapes picked by the villagers.
When it comes to the finished wine, fruit is very much in fashion, something I love: the combination of fruit and a brief period in barrels.
5. Recommend a White, Red, Rosé, Sparkling, Fortified and Dessert Wine
- For a white, I had recently tried the new vintage of Roda I's white Rioja. I think it was the second, becoming one of Spain's best white wines.
- For a red, I would go to France, specifically Bordeaux, with Duo Grand Cru, AOC Saint Emilion, from Bodegas Hermanos Usarralde.
- For rosé, I really like Le Rosé, from Bodegas Antídoto, an exceptional Ribera del Duero.
- Among sparkling wines, I was very surprised by the Champagne from Olivier Martieux: excellent value for money and not at all commercial.
- For a fortified wine, of course I would choose a Sherry, specifically Carvajal en Rama, from Carvajal Wines: a real spectacle.
- For a sweet wine, I was fascinated by a Sauternes: Chateau de Fargues, Lur Saluces.
“I would only drink sparkling wines and Sherries as an aperitif.” This is a myth that needs to be dispelled now, and we sommeliers have that responsibility.
6. What Should Someone With Little Wine Experience Consider When Choosing a Wine to Accompany Their Meal? What Basic Rules Should a Diner Know to Choose a Good Wine?
First of all, let a sommelier advise you. If there is no sommelier and no app such as Winerim either, a good approach is to examine the wine list for appellations you like or would like to try. Then choose a wine offering value for money and, although it may sound like a cliché, look for opinions, tasting notes or ratings online. It is a way to avoid going wrong.
7. Challenge a Myth About Wine and Food Pairing
“I would only drink sparkling wines and Sherries as an aperitif.” This is a myth that needs to be dispelled now, and we sommeliers have that responsibility. We must show that both sparkling wines and Sherries, especially the latter because they are much more versatile, can be served from the aperitif through to dessert.
8. What Requirements Must a Wine Meet to Be a Good Wine?
Good care of the vineyard, good training through experience at other wineries and in other countries and, above all, being guided by what you want, like and love.
It is important to think about quality, not quantity.
In the winery, careful work, without overusing barrels, giving the grape you want in the wine its fullest expression. There is no point in wanting to make your favourite wine in a place where making it would be impossible.
9. What Steps Should We Follow to Taste Wine at an Amateur Level?
First of all, look at the colour. It is very important because it can tell you a great deal about the wine's youth or maturity, even whether it has spent time in barrels. Then smell the wine with the glass still and start identifying the aromas. Next, swirl the glass to bring them out and discover the other aromas. Finally, drink it and, above all, enjoy it.
10. Which Wine Had Surprised You Most Recently?
A Greek white wine from Santorini, made from the Assirtiko grape, surprised me enormously. It is called Estate Argyros. I had recently tasted it while taking the WSET 3 course, and we loved it.
11. What Is the Best Wine You Have Tasted for Value for Money?
Villota, a Rioja. They had previously managed Viñedos del Contino and, at the time of the interview, were developing the Villota project, a spectacular Rioja Alavesa with subtlety, elegance and finesse, at a lower price than Contino.
Editorial note: the professional relationship and price comparison are the interviewee's historical statements, not independently verified current company information or prices.
“Winerim is another colleague. It helps make ‘life’ easier for the customer and for you.”
12. A Traditional Paper Wine List or a Digital Wine List?
For the romantics, clearly a paper wine list. But we have to adapt to new technologies, and the digital version clearly helps a great deal, especially with keeping prices and stock up to date every day. I would choose the digital wine list, although I will always defend the paper list.
13. How Does Winerim Help You in Your Work?
It is another colleague. It helps make “life” easier for the customer and for you. Narrowing so many wines down to 3–4 is very easy, in a matter of seconds. It is a great help.
Editorial note: this is the interviewee's historical account, not a measured filtering-time result or verification of current product performance.
14. Finally, a Piece of Advice for Any Wine Lover
Enjoy wine in company. Respect those who make it or recommend it to you, because behind every wine, whether you like it or not, there is a great deal of work and history. Spend what you can afford: you do not need to order expensive wines to enjoy yourself and drink quality wine.