Meet Isabel Galindo

Isabel's trajectory

Madrileña, 1972. Agricultural Engineer and Master's Degree in Viticulture, Oenology and Marketing from the Polytechnic University of Madrid.

He started working in Ribera at Dominio de Pingus and Hacienda Monasterio. After a season in Chile (Viña Valdivieso), she ended up landing in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, as a technical advisor at Cía. De Vinos de Telmo Rodriguez, managing the central area, until 2005, when I settled in Las Moradas de San Martin, which I had been advising for 3 years previously.

What is your first memory in the world of wine?

Well, I think, like any other son of a neighbour, my first memories are family, especially at meals at my grandmother's house, who liked to take care of all the details: table linen, cutlery, tableware... and of course the wine, something that I was allowed to taste on occasion. But later on at the School of Agronomists where, occasionally, they gave introductory courses in wine tasting.

Who are your references, a woman we should not lose sight of?

I don't have a specific point of reference, nor anyone I follow regularly. In this sector I don't think it's done, it's different, everything has not stopped evolving in the last few years, everything has been improved a lot. And my point of reference is OVERCOMING, knowing how to understand the language of the vineyards, their soils, their characteristics and the wines they produce in the most honest and respectful way possible. As for who not to lose sight of... all of us, we are so different...

A professional moment or milestone that you remember in a special way?

There is none that comes to mind, perhaps because my career has developed slowly and according to the experience that I was developing and continue to develop. In the world of wine, there is never an end, it all seems to start at the beginning. What gives me most satisfaction is the recognition from consumers, colleagues, journalists, friends and family, although you can never please everyone, you also have to know how to deal with this. There have to be many tastes, it's the healthiest thing to do.

What do you ask for in a wine?

First and foremost, that it is authentic, that it is honest with the place, the terroir, the variety of origin... they are usually very enjoyable. I can't stand commercial wines that are "perfect" but lack personality. I drink them, but I don't enjoy them.

A wine that has marked you?

When I was starting out, many years ago, I didn't drink much white wine, and at a meal, Peter Sisseck surprised me with a Burgundy (I don't remember the brand, but it was impressive), and I felt like the smallest person in the world given my lack of knowledge of the world wine sector. Since then I appreciate white wines very much, what's more, with the Albillo Real we have now, we are making very interesting elaborations to study its best potential and I am very happy with the results, with a very high quality.

And to talk about a wine, I used to fall in love with René Barbier's Clos Mogador, but I liked the old vintages much more (or my tasting panel has changed a lot, which also happens and you become more demanding with your memories)

What changes do you think are needed in the wine industry?

WINE CULTURE AND MORE WINE CULTURE. Spain, a wine-producing country par excellence, is losing a lot of knowledge. We have become trapped in brands and in two regions for reds and two for whites. Spain is a melting pot of soils, of climates, perfectly adapted to grape growing and gives us a wonderful diversity throughout the national panorama. We must awaken our senses, try more varieties, DOs, and not be shy. Wine is for enjoying, for pairing, for socialising and there is no need to be serious about it.

But we have to value it, it would be good if people also knew how hard it is to work in the fields, to take care of 50,000 bonsais, prune them, weed them, harvest them by hand, make juice, put them in barrels, bottle them... There are high costs and if the differentiation is not appreciated, it is a pity. Lower-priced wines have to coexist with more romantic wines or wines of payment or pampering, we have room for everything. In any other country it would be much more appreciated.

If you want to know more about Isabel, her work at Moradas de San Martín and her wines visit our shop.