Wine Demands
Slowness
Interview with Miguel Ángel Millán, World’s Best Sommelier 2023.
By Noelia Jiménez
Wine demands slowness
Interview with Miguel Ángel Millán, World’s Best Sommelier 2023.
By Noelia Jiménez
Life, at times, finds unexpected ways of offering you a destiny. You might begin by transforming precious metals into dreams and, after four or five twists of the plot, find yourself dreaming of a precious metal that honours your most exquisite toasts. And then, returning to yourself, pausing, reflecting, observing… and once again uncorking your essence.
Miguel Ángel Millán is one of those individuals for whom chance clears the path. That, along with his intuition, which might well be a close neighbour, almost a twin, to his sensitivity. And his discipline, his constant desire to learn. All of it has allowed him to take flight: the wings embroidered on the back of his work jacket are the perfect symbol of the skies he crosses as a sommelier and, above all, as a human being who continually creates and recreates himself with every spark of emotion.
Named World’s Best Sommelier in 2023 after a meteoric career at three of Spain’s finest restaurants (Jockey, Santceloni and DiverXO), he chose to pause rather than lose himself in a race against the clock. This is how he arrived at his new flying goal: EMi, a project alongside chef Rubén Hernández Mosquero, conceived with the ambition of surprising and moving far beyond the palate.
Your journey into the world of wine has been a long-distance one: from high-end catering to more accessible restaurants and then to Jockey, where you were captivated by sommellerie… and began your training. When did your instinct tell you this was the right path? I did many things before that: I was an entrepreneur and even worked as an artisan jeweller. I had a certain sensitivity for creating artistic pieces, but I found it frustrating to be confined to the workshop and not engage with the people who enjoyed what I had made, so I left it.
I began working at the Norema Salinas catering company, and I was fascinated by the way people approached food and the importance they gave to wine. Every day pushed me out of my comfort zone: it was a challenge to serve in very different settings and to develop my ingenuity so that the service was always excellent, whatever the resources at hand.
One day, everything changed. I went into a small wine tavern and said to myself, “I’m going to try one.” I brought the glass to my nose and suddenly an endless array of aromas began to emerge: strawberries, redcurrants, blueberries, rose petals… I couldn’t believe that this was wine.
Which wine was it? A very simple and very good one: Luberri, a Rioja made using carbonic maceration. The youngest style of wine there is.
How did you move from catering to Jockey? Again, it was almost by chance. The company went into crisis, I started sending out CVs to other catering firms… and Jockey called me.
That was my school. Simply entering that space felt like stepping into history. It had opened in 1945 and remained just as it was: silver cutlery, exquisitely traditional service, colleagues well into their sixties… and I was not yet thirty. I was so motivated that I would arrive first and leave last, always volunteering for everything… and since I had already begun taking wine courses, every time a delivery arrived at the restaurant, I would take it down to the cellar so I could keep learning there.
I joined Jockey as a waiter and ended as a chef de rang, the most senior role on the floor—serving at gala dinners at the Royal Palace and, on occasion, attending to the Queen herself.
And once again, a closure forces you to reinvent yourself. Jockey closed its doors in 2012… and by then I had already made significant progress in my understanding of wine. I enrolled in the Maestresala course at the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, graduated top of my class and won the excellence award.
Around that time, I was put in touch with Santceloni: I was very excited, as it brought together the entire legacy of Santi Santamaría with a contemporary edge. That is where I met David Robledo, the sommelier, and he backed me for the position of second sommelier. And once again, I continued with my training, this time in sommellerie, where I achieved the highest marks and once more won the excellence award.
At Santceloni, I learned so much that I began carrying out the duties of a head sommelier. That was when I realised I needed to move on if I wanted to keep growing. It was then that I was offered the position of head sommelier at Kabuki Wellington.
How did you take on that responsibility? When I arrived at Kabuki, I was able to do things my own way, to develop something more creative. I realised that such delicate cuts of fish required very different wines, so I began travelling in search of new approaches. This was when I found inspiration in Champagne, in Burgundy, in the Loire Valley, in Piedmont, in Germany; when I immersed myself in the world of sake… and, above all, when I met Juancho Asenjo, one of my great mentors in the world of wine.
During that period, I also pursued the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certification. All of this gave me a global perspective on the world of wine… and led to another turning point in my career: I realised that I wanted to learn not so much in classrooms, but in life itself, through travel. I was seeking the more emotional dimension of wine.
How did Dabiz Muñoz come into your life? He used to come to Kabuki from time to time: I would host him and some members of his team, particularly Pedro Casado, the CEO. Then one day they explained that they needed to pair their cuisine with wine and create a complete dining room experience, and that they had thought of me for the role. And I accepted the challenge.
Was DiverXO another step outside your comfort zone?
Without a doubt: I built its cellar from scratch and, after six years there, left it with two thousand references and two pairings. But above all, it allowed me to develop a creative dimension through the dialogue between what the chef wants to convey with each dish and what the guest will experience. My mission was for the story of the wine to continue the story of the dish.
For six years, I dedicated one day a week to seeking out these harmonies. During that time, I was awarded the Metrópolis Prize for Best Sommelier and later the World’s Best Sommelier award by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. And this all aligned with something I had already begun to feel: that I had achieved my goals.
So you decided to pause. I realised I was no longer going to work with the same excitement,that I no longer had butterflies in my stomach. I also needed to rest: I wanted time for myself, to be with my wife… and to reflect on what my next step would be.
The pause has not been particularly long… No, not really. Along the way, I began to teach: I wanted to try being a lecturer to see how it felt, and the truth is that from the very beginning it was wonderful. At the same time, I also took on some consultancy work, helping certain restaurants curate their wine lists; I travelled, visited wineries… I received offers from Michelin-starred restaurants, proposals from importers and wine distributors… and none of it felt right. Until one day Rubén [Hernández Mosquero] called me…
…And here we are, at EMi. It is curious how life brought us together. I met him the day he came to dine at DiverXO. He said to me, “I never drink wine, but since you’re here I want you to create a pairing for me.” When he left, he congratulated me… and we didn’t see each other again until the 50 Best awards. In a venue as vast as the auditorium of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, it turned out Rubén was seated right next to me. Then I received the award, and I was on cloud nine… some time passed before Rubén wrote to me, saying he had moved to Madrid from New York and would like to speak with me, to see if I could help with a project he wanted to launch. And that is how my chapter at EMi began.
With Rubén, you share the vision of “moving through excellence”. What does that translate to on a sensory level? First and foremost, we share a passion for haute cuisine. We also share the conviction that things can be done differently, that a positive atmosphere in a restaurant is not only possible but essential: the happiness of those who come to dine here is key, and for that to happen, those working here must also be happy.
Is that attention to emotion crucial to success? Without a doubt. When you are working, you convey part of your emotional state. If you feel good at work and with your team, it will be reflected in your guests. Moreover, involving the team, making them part of the process and creating a sense of family fosters a stronger connection and allows everything to flow naturally.
“For me, it is essential to listen to the chef, to understand his vision, his sensitivity and his way of approaching the product. I then translate those sensations into the liquid dimension, seeking wines that amplify the message of the dish, whether to embrace it or to challenge it.”
And returning to the idea of emotion through excellence… what exactly are we talking about? About an experience in which nothing is left to chance. Every dish and every glass is conceived so that the diner does not merely taste, but feel. It is a balance between impeccable technique, creativity and human warmth.
For me, it is essential to listen to the chef, to understand his vision, his sensitivity and his way of approaching the product. I then translate those sensations into the liquid dimension, seeking wines that amplify the message of the dish, whether to embrace it or to challenge it, always with coherence, blending classical harmonies with more conceptual choices: the classical foundation gives us structure, while the conceptual provides freedom. The challenge lies in allowing the diner to recognise the familiar while, at the same time, being surprised by something they had not imagined.
What makes EMi’s cellar unique? Rubén and I have built an extensive cellar, with three thousand bottles and a thousand references from around the world. And I say this while firmly believing that a wine list should not be measured by its size, but by the quality of what it offers.
Added to this, every time I taste one of Rubén’s dishes, an endless stream of ideas begins to unfold in my mind: how I might pair it, how we might develop a narrative, how we might approach that dish from different perspectives.
Could we say that you are a man of emotions and of stories? Yes. I do not usually speak much about the technical side of wine: it is true that I have studied a great deal, because I know I need solid foundations, but when it comes to telling the story of a wine, the key for me is to convey how I experience it… which is no more valid than how you experience it yourself. I give a great deal of myself to my guests… and I take a great deal from them in return.
How does all that sensitivity you possess, and the emotional dimension of your work, translate across the five senses when presenting a wine or crafting a pairing? Taste and smell are obvious… but what about the other three? Everything matters, and aesthetically I strive to take care of every detail. In terms of sight, I pay close attention to how I place the glass, how I position it, how I bring it forward… At EMi, we have also devoted great care to the glassware: every piece is handcrafted and mouth-blown. For me, the glass is like a painter’s brush, it allows the wine to be enjoyed in the most fitting way. We have chosen Czech glassware by Izaak Reich, and through it we deepen this performative aspect of presenting unique pieces that, once the wine has been tasted, leave behind a distinctive visual impression on the table.
As for hearing… people often remark on my particular tone of voice and the importance I give to pauses.
In terms of touch, textures play a central role at EMi, and that is thanks to Rubén, who has been involved in every choice of materials and in shaping the sensory experience of the space—including the plants in the outdoor garden, which are one of his passions. Even the design of the cellar was his idea.
You say you never forget faces or wines. When you meet someone, can you tell which wine might represent them? As soon as a guest walks through the door, I begin to notice an endless array of details: whether they smile, whether they have an engaged presence, or, on the contrary, make themselves small… I then ask a few questions and, as the experience unfolds, I come to understand them better, adapting my pairings to what I believe will bring them the greatest pleasure.
So you are something of an alchemist of emotions… I love tailoring my approach to different palates, always within what I wish to express, within my own personality. I have been fortunate to work in exceptional places with highly refined tastes, but it is equally important for me to adapt to those who know nothing about wine and to help them enjoy discovering something new in a simple, accessible way.
What do you think Madrid has that has allowed it to become a true benchmark for haute cuisine?
I believe it is a global capital, and increasingly so. It is a melting pot of cultures, which enriches us and fosters a more open-minded society.
In the past, I noticed a great difference between Madrid and cities such as London. Here, being in a wine-producing country, it was difficult to move beyond our own references. In other European capitals, by contrast, you could find wine lists featuring wines from all over the world, partly because consumers had a more global outlook.
Has that begun to change? Completely. And we are now moving towards the opposite extreme too quickly: we have access to wines from across the globe, and there are still-emerging projects that suddenly become a worldwide phenomenon following a viral publication… and a wine that once cost €50 suddenly reaches three figures.
I find it dangerous for wine to take on this pace, because it contradicts the very slowness it demands,not only in its production, but in the way it should be enjoyed.
What is the most memorable experience you’ve had with wine in Madrid? Many of my closest friends are sommeliers or connected to the world of wine, and some time ago we began meeting in Casa de Campo to enjoy whatever wine each of us brings along. There are ten of us, gathered around a simple meal of tortilla de patatas and breaded fillets… but with proper glassware and extraordinary bottles, often from special vintages. It is tremendous fun. We taste blind and have an incredible time, those days are truly unforgettable.
What does Madrid have that captivates wine lovers? It offers diversity, accessibility and an increasingly passionate community. You can find everything from small wine bars with hidden gems to gastronomic temples boasting lists of over a thousand references. Places like La Angelita, Taberna Laredo or La Tintorería Vinoteca are benchmarks for me. And, of course, there are the various winemaking projects in Madrid, with particular attention to the wineries in the Sierra de Gredos.
Moreover, wine is part of Madrid’s social DNA: it accompanies gatherings, celebrations and those long, lingering conversations after a meal.
Can wine be considered a form of art?
Without a doubt. Wine is interpretation, sensitivity and creativity. Just as with a painting or a theatre production, there is an author behind it, with a vision and a message that the viewer—or the drinker—ultimately makes their own.
"Wine is interpretation, sensitivity and creativity. Just as with a painting or a theatre production, there is an author behind it, with a vision and a message that the viewer, or the drinker, ultimately makes their own."
And we have also spoken about how, in a way, its presentation becomes a performance… For me, wine is art because it is made by human hands. There are always determining natural factors—origin, grape variety, climate, and so on—but in some producers there is also an artistic dimension, because that individual interprets the wine in a distinctive way.
Let us finish with a small exercise. Suggest a wine for our readers to savour across four experiences. First, an afternoon at the Museo del Prado.
I would choose an aged Amontillado Jerez, for its complexity and its ability to engage in dialogue with centuries of history.
A walk through the Paisaje de la Luz? Here I would opt for a fresh, aromatic Albariño, one that captures the light and vitality of the stroll.
A day of shopping along Ortega y Gasset? A Garnacha from Gredos, sophisticated, fresh and stylish, effortlessly drinkable.
And to conclude the day, a toast at the Teatro Real? Without a doubt, a vintage champagne, elegant, refined and full of character, worthy of a great night at the opera.
And we have also spoken about how, in a way, its presentation becomes a performance…For me, wine is art because it is made by human hands. There are always determining natural factors—origin, grape variety, climate, and so on—but in some producers there is also an artistic dimension, because that individual interprets the wine in a distinctive way.
Let us finish with a small exercise. Suggest a wine for our readers to savour across four experiences. First, an afternoon at the Museo del Prado.
I would choose an aged Amontillado Jerez, for its complexity and its ability to engage in dialogue with centuries of history.
A walk through the Paisaje de la Luz?
Here I would opt for a fresh, aromatic Albariño, one that captures the light and vitality of the stroll.
A day of shopping along Ortega y Gasset?
A Garnacha from Gredos, sophisticated, fresh and stylish, effortlessly drinkable.
And to conclude the day, a toast at the Teatro Real?
Without a doubt, a vintage champagne, elegant, refined and full of character, worthy of a great night at the opera.