Do you know which is the big advantage of having a large space like The baSEment? You can organize the best events in Barcelona, such as Foodies Experiences and get people of high level as Josep Pelegrín to talk about his experience as a sommelier.
AVGVSTVS FORVM WINERIES
As you know, Foodies Experiences organizes 5 monthly meetings with professionals of Gastronomy and Hospitality and students of this domain. Last week we celebrated the last event of this first edition. The event started with the speech of the people in charge of the wineries Augustus Forum del Penedés. They talked about the origins of their wineries and how they started to make a local product of their vineyard: first wines and after that, vinegards. They introduced us to the exciting world of vinegar. Did you know there are different ways of harvesting vinegar? From 5 to 35 years of duration but with the intention of reaching 100 years, why not?
JOSEP PELEGRÍN
Afterwards, Josep Pelegrin told us a bit about his life and his beginnings. He started by studying cooking, although at some point he prefered to work in restaurants so he would be able to be in contact with the customers. He was offered a sommelier internship at the famous Bulli restaurant. Then he discovered his interest for wines and began to learn more about them. Josep’s thirst for learning made him travel to different places like France or Sweden, ‘In order to learn about the regions of origin, the best way is to know them in person’.
After years of experience Josep started training for the contest of best sommelier. He said that ‘being so competitive is what made him ‘Best Sommelier Catalonia 2014 and 2015 ‘, and’ Best Sommelier Spain 2016 ‘.
He combines his profession with his other passion, pedagogy. He is currently focused on a sommelier course, he wants to create another type of teaching much more practical and fun.
After the talk, we had the opportunity to enjoy a wine tasting from the Qalides association: Avgvstvs Xarel.lo, Jean Leon Viña Gigi, Gran Caus Rosat, Albet i Noya Belatc. Carles (Avgvstvs Forvm) and Josep were helping us to recognize each flavour and guiding us on a trip with stops in every sense.