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Two heads are better than one
© Abraham Carralero
Just under three minutes. That’s how long it takes for one of Europe’s most prestigious wine tasting competitions to be booked out. Organised by the Vila Viniteca wine house, its unique pairs format has won the annual contest dedicated fans from across the industry – well beyond its Spanish homeland. Now, 125 duos made up of international sommeliers, educators and wine enthusiasts are preparing their palates for the 18th edition on February 22 in Barcelona, where they will compete for glory and €50,000 in prize money.
The competition, Vila Viniteca Cata por Parejas (Vila Viniteca Tasting for Couples) might have a Spanish name and roots, but it has become renowned internationally among those in the know. Last year 135 pairs from 14 countries took part in the one-day blind tasting in front of more than 1,500 spectators. Proving the maxim “two heads are better than one”,teams of two work together to precisely identify the wines – a concept that was unique when it launched in Spain in 2008.
Regarded by sommeliers and wine insiders as the Olympics of the tasting world, team spots might sell out in minutes, but the organisation is a logistical feat that takes months to prepare to the high standards expected by these exacting professionals. More than 3,500 Riedel wine glasses were used in 2025; 277 bottles of wine uncorked; and 95 different cheeses (a total of 370 kilograms) were served on a stand alongside the wine exhibition that accompanies the contest.
© Vila Viniteca
“In the 17 editions of Vila Viniteca Cata por Parejas held to date, our competition has become a highlight for sommeliers from far and wide. Only the best wines make it onto the tasting list, and the participants include many big names from the world of wine. The tasting is now one of the most sought-after events for top sommeliers.”
How the competition works
In two rounds of this year’s competition, 250 participants from 10 countries will blind taste seven outstanding wines and must identify them as accurately as possible. One point each is awarded for naming the correct country of origin and region, two points each for the designation of origin and brand, and three points for correctly identifying the grape variety, vintage and producer. In the event of a tie, the tasting notes are used for grading.
The annual blind tasting alternates between Barcelona and Madrid. Following on from last year’s event at Casino de Madrid, the 2026 edition will be held in Barcelona, with the historic 14th century Casa Llotja de Mar convention centre serving as the venue.
Sommelier summit
Vila Viniteca ranks among Europe's most important wine merchants. Its membership in the Académie Internationale du Vin (AIV) demonstrates the importance of this wine institution. Accordingly, the jury at Cata por Parejas is made up of big names from the world of wine, with an increasingly international flavour. Argentine sommelier Paz Levinson, Wine Director of the France-based Anne-Sophie Pic Group, has become a permanent member of the jury after previously serving as a guest judge. That guest role this year has been filled by Italian-born Enrico Bernardo, the Best Sommelier of the World 2004, previously of the Four Seasons George V restaurant in Paris.
The Premio Vila Viniteca de Cata por Parejas, the full name of the competition, took place for the first time in Barcelona in 2008 with 84 pairs competing for glory. Despite a growing international field of wine enthusiasts and top sommeliers, the majority of the winners so far have come from Spain, apart from two winning French couples (including last year when Maxime France and Pierre Citerne took the crown).
About Vila Viniteca
Founded in 1932, in the Born district of Barcelona, Vila Viniteca has become one of the most important distributors of fine wines, spirits and gourmet products in Europe. Now managed by the third generation, this industry innovator collaborates on wine projects with some of Spain’s most acclaimed winemakers and pioneered the concept of buying wines En Primeur in Spain in 2000. In 2008, it made history again when it launched the Vila Viniteca de Cata por Parejas pairs wine tasting contest. Vila Viniteca owns three wineries in Catalonia, Rueda and Madrid, where it produces its own wines. It also has shops in Barcelona and a meeting space in Madrid for professionals and wine lovers to sample some of its more than 11,000 Spanish and international wines and spirits. Its gastronomic offering is no less impressive, with more than 400 mature cheeses, the finest hams and the most exclusive preserves and gourmet products.
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