NEW SPAIN WINES is a company born of a collective passion for wine.

And, the idea of creating our own Wine Company was seeded some time ago, when Javier and I (Wendy) met at a Spanish wine event in Vancouver BC. We simply needed to see what our roles would be… how we could best serve the Spanish Wine Community around the world.

Javier and I spent the next year working with The Wine Academy of Spain and were immersed in a variety of very interesting projects from teaching about Spanish wines outside of Spain, and Global wine within Spain with WSET, to the Climate Change and Wine Event in Barcelona, and many more.  Javier was then, and had been the Director of TWA for 5 yrs by then. It was an excellent and fulfilling year for both of us.

In time, we began to see our roles developing outside of TWA, and we formed New Spain Wines in the fall of 2008. We really felt like we were in the center of the Universe here in Spain! Things came together very smoothly for us, and we began to put together our New Spain Wines export portfolio based on our well versed knowledge of Spain’s New Innovative Winemakers who were producing fabulous terroir driven wines, the developing global market, and our ability to move around the world with Wine Education. Both Javier and I are firm believers of sharing our wine knowledge and wine experiences with others and find these opportunities to be very rewarding.

Aside from our efforts to bring these Very Special Spanish wines to the wine community around the world, we teach, present tastings, host events, do a little wine judging, and a variety of other wine related things.

We have recently added a blog page to our website, thanks in a very large part to Lauren, Klyde and James, (a piece of the next generation in our family). Lauren has designed the New Spain Wines Logo, and oversees the ‘look’ of the site, James built the website, Klyde has directed and implemented the blog page, and the three of them continue to make improvements! We see that there is a need to be more in contact with you, the wine drinkers of the world, so that we can more readily bring our escapades and adventures to you, and interact on a more personal level. To speak to you, and answer your questions. It will help us to share the little pleasures we come across in our travels with you, and for you to share your interests, and inquiries with us. We are opening our door, and saying “Please come in, have a seat, and do taste this wine!!”

Here is a picture of the real team, on the day of our inception as a family (except for Javier, who is taking the picture!)

We would love to hear your thoughts on our Projects, and our Posts! We hope you like it!

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THE ‘NEW SPAIN WINES’ TEAM…

Javier Arauz is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of New Spain Wines. With 15 years of sales and marketing, in and out of the Wine Industry, previous to his 5 years as the Director of The Wine Academy of Spain. He is a certified WSET tutor, a Spanish Wine Educator tutor, and an Official Sherry Educator. Javier’s career in wine has taken him to many wine producing Countries for further professional development.

Other professional training includes a few stints at UC Davis, the UK, Portugal, and in Spain, with Professor Richard Smart. Of much importance is Javier’s experience and time spent with winegrowers and industry professionals from all parts of the world.

Javier still teaches the Spanish Wine Education Program for the Wine Academy of Spain, and is asked regularly to both speak about, and present Spanish Wines via guided tastings, etc. at wine fairs and shows around the world.

Now, his passion lies in exploring the nooks and crannies of Spain’s montañas, rías, and mesetas in search of the next shining star for The New Spain Wines Export Portfolio!

Wendy Vallaster is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of New Spain Wines. She is a Certified Sommelier via the International Sommelier Guild, an Official Sherry Educator, and in her first year in Spain, organized and taught the Spanish Wine Educators program throughout the US and BC. She is from Vancouver BC, Canada, and is now living, and loving life in Spain, involving herself in many different aspects of the wine world.

Wendy’s philosophy, based on her 20+ yrs in the hospitality industry, is to work within the wine community, connecting the industry with the consumer via the Media, Tasting, and Wine Education (bringing the Wine to the People, and the People to the Wine).

Together, with Javier, she spends much of her time exploring the DO’s of Spain to best inform herself of the New and Exciting Developments which are currently taking place in Spain’s Revolutionary Wine World, and tasting her way through eternity! A tough life, but somebody’s got to do it!!

Jose Hidalgo is a Consulting Partner of New Spain Wines. José is the marketing genius behind many of Spain’s well recognized brands (some of which we work with). He jumped straight into the fire after achieving his degree in Agricultural Engineering in Madrid and has excelled in the field of Global Wine Marketing.

José is a wine educator as well, and has specialized in helping the World to understand the varying Nuances and Vintages of Vega Sicillia’s wines, via seminars and tastings.