About the authors
Matthew Desoutter and Benjamin James are two British entrepreneurs with extensive experience in the world of Spanish wine. During their wine careers, they have exported Spanish wine to the UK, sold Spanish wine direct to consumers in Spain, and produced an impressive library of content to share their knowledge with wine lovers around the world. They now dedicate their time to writing about wine from Spain – and are starting to branch out into other countries too.
Simply Spanish Wine is their first book. It aims to give wine lovers a simple, informative guide to the Spanish wine world and the wonderful wines this country is producing.
In this book you’ll discover:
- how wine is made.
- what’s so great about sherry.
- what grapes go into Spanish wine.
- some of the regions where Spanish wine is made.
…and lots more
With the help of this book, you’ll be better able to understand the wine list in your local tapas bar, feel more confident when choosing your next bottle of Rioja, or simply fall in love with the fantastic wine that Spain produces.
Meet your Spanish wine guides
Matthew Desoutter
Matthew is a WSET-qualified wine writer and independent trader who has lived and worked in Spain for over 30 years. He first entered the wine world more than 30 years ago, working at Stephen Spurrier’s wonderful Les Caves de la Madeleine wine shop in Paris.
From there he headed south to Madrid where he spent twenty years at the British Embassy focused on agriculture, environment and economic issues. During that time, he developed a broad network of friends and contacts across the Spanish wine sector. He continued to expand his love and knowledge of wine through study and regular interaction with Spanish wineries.
In 2016, Matthew decided to leave the embassy and dedicate himself full-time to the wine world.
Benjamin James
Ben is a writer and communications professional and manages the pair’s online presence.
He has been passionate about wine since his 18th birthday when he was given a bottle of St Emilion as a present and began to realise wine could be much more than just a drink to go with Sunday lunch.
But it wasn’t until he arrived in Spain over 20 years ago that he discovered the enormous variety of styles that could be found within a bottle – and the exceptional value for money that Spanish wine represented. Since then, he has spent his free time travelling and tasting his way around Spain.
You can read more from Matthew and Ben on their Substack blog: Desoutter & James on Wine.